


Support

by HackaDoll



Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Adventure, Drama, F/M, Manga & Anime, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-01
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2018-09-13 23:13:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 64
Words: 123,794
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9146281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HackaDoll/pseuds/HackaDoll
Summary: There are a lot of different Hunters, who all try to archive something special. She is one of them. As a Support Hunter, it's rather hard and she has no luck at all with her search. When she finds interest in a game, she has no more options than to build a team with a more or less known Trickster; for that he seems way to uninterested. With this plan, it doesn't take long until they start a gamble with each other, that leads both of them into a way of desire - until the one little point, where the question pops up: What is the true purpose of a joker? [Following the Anime and the Movies]





	1. Hunter

**Author's Note:**

  * A translation of [Support](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/252094) by Hellgate. 



> Well, hello guys. I would be happy, if you would't be so mean to me. English is not my main language, so I can't guarantee, that the text will be flawless. But at least I hope you enjoy the story. I try to upload once a week, even thought this story is pretty long..♥

“Tell me, why do you want to be a Hunter?”  
“There is no reason. I just want to do something with my life.”  
“Do you know, what kind of Hunter you want to be?”  
“No.”  
For a little moment, silence filled the room.  
“Are there some things, that you like?”  
“Food. But this is nothing, for that, I would risk my life.”  
“Something, that you need? On a Journey? Something, that you need because you go crazy without it?”  
She hesitated with the answer.  
“Humans.”

♦♣♦

 “Can you imagine that? This job is so well paid! And we are just searching for some stupid diamonds!”  
Annoyed, she put her head in the neck. The questions she had been asked two years ago suddenly seemed so unimportant. Had she known in this time, that a life as Hunter was so stressful, she would have never ever said, that she couldn't live without humans. No, she would have gone further. She wouldn't have entered the exam at all. She would have become a fine housewife, would have married some fellow-man and everything would have been better than now.

Instead of this, she was in accompany by another Hunter, who simply couldn’t shut up. All the way long, he spoke without a single point to breathe. Commas were only made when he gasped excitedly and looked at her.  
He was a young man, not older than twenty. His body seemed untrained and in general, the smell of pure anxiety hung on his body. Probably, it was his first mission, which was the reason he had asked for help at all.  
Not as if it would disturb her, but her hopes for more than that were pretty low. He wouldn't stay at her side. Before this mystery would happen, his heart would stop in shock, or he would give up his existence as a Hunter. And that where the part, where she arrived at the next question.  
How had he survived the examination at all?

“If we do our job well, we will certainly be rewarded really well.”  
“There was something of a million Jenny on the display,” she said disinterested, as she wandered behind him. They moved along a forest path, surrounded by trees and thick undergrowth. Enemies could lurk everywhere and when they acted in a hasty way, they would simply suppress their presence so that they could not be tracked, or noticed.  
“What do you mean, how much value will these diamonds have?”  
“Enough.”  
“We could take them to a man who looks at their value!”  
“This is called a jeweler...” Sighing, she straightened a strand of her hair from the face.  
“Is your hair white by nature?”  
“No, I suffered a shock when I was seven and I never recovered from it!”  
“For real?”  
“No.”  
He paused briefly, looking at her in confusion.  
“So they are white by nature...?”  
One of her eyebrows reacted slightly twitching to his question. She would definitely kill him if he wouldn't shut up immediately.  
“Yes,” was the only thing she managed to press over her lips.  
“For real? This is super cool! You can mix any color in it! With your green eyes, I would recommend smooth blue strands.”  
“Aha...”  
“That would fit your clothing style. Doesn't that sound pretty lovely?”

Thoughtfully, she glanced at her right thigh, then to the left. On each side was a holder for a gun. She could pull one of them out and shoot him into the head. Or she took the Katana, which hung at her hip and divide him cleanly into two halves. The options were just as open as the opportunity to attack. But on the other hand, it was a waste of power to kill him. Besides, they were partners and he had done nothing except talking too much.

“Do you think the diamonds are packaged?”  
“Because they were stolen by thieves, I guess they packed them. Of course, they can also transport them with their hands, but why hard when it goes easy as well?”  
“I'm thrilled!” He cried aloud as he turned to her again.  
“How so?”  
“You asked me a question for the first time!”  
Whimpering, she let her shoulders hang. She would kill him. Another word and he was done. She would cut his throat and let him bleed out. Slowly.  
As soon as this act was finished, she was ready to enjoy the miraculous silence, right after she swore to never accompany any Hunter again.

“Do you have some more questions for me?”  
“Not really...”  
Laughing, he turned around and swung slightly back and forth.  
“To come back at your question. I think, sometimes the hard way gives you the better result. Therefore, you shouldn't be deceived by the easy way. After all-,” he stopped as he heard a cracking sound. This was the Katanas blade, which had loosened its neck from the holder and was now slowly pulled out of its shell with a sharp sound. Confused, he looked at her before his expression changed.  
“I understand. We have visitors.”  
She forced herself to a smile. He really wasn't that clever.  
He didn't seem to be able to interpret her intention as she raised one of her guns in his direction and fixed him firmly with her eyes.  
“I'm so excited,” her companion murmured softly, not moving an inch.  
With a strong push, she pressed her body forward so that she stood before him for a bare second. At the moment she tried to kill him, she noticed something strange and stopped. So instead of dividing the young man into two, she lowered the Katana and fell with him to the ground. She heard something hissing over her head, but couldn't tell what it was.

Without hesitation, she stood up again and fell back directly into the line of the fire, made by her opponents. This time, she even recognized, what was being shot after her.  
They used arrows, perfectly normal, without any modification. Perhaps, this was the reason why the prize money for accomplishing the mission was so low. The bandits weren't really to be categorized as strong.  
Nevertheless, they had used their opportunity well. One of her black knee-socks had been caught. With this, holes could be found in some places. Big ones, small ones, they covered the once so seamless sock.  
Depressed, she bit her lower lip. She had bought this pair only recently, so it felt almost like a waste of money. The way it looked now, she would never have had to buy new clothes.

“Who are you?” A voice, echoing from the woods, trying to bring a slightly menacing undertone over.  
“Guess what. The way you shot at me means, you're either paranoid, or you already know why we're here.”  
Other arrows paved the way in her direction, which she merely deflected with the blade of her Katana.  
“Come out. We can clarify this without inciting disputes.”  
“You're here because of the diamonds, aren't you?”  
“Well recognized,” to prove that she was not interested in a fight, she lowered her weapons and looked into the forest from where the voice came. In the meanwhile, she had already found him. His fear reached her body, revealing his position. If there were several opponents, they would have been panicked at least, when she countered their attack.

“Piss off!”  
“Or what? Are you shooting more toothpicks in my direction?”  
Most likely, she had annoyed him to a specific point, so that in an instant a wave of arrows flew out of nowhere. One stripped her leg and tore the black knee-sock of her right side in another place apart. Not, as if another hole would be noticeable, but it annoyed her. She hadn't had the patience for all this. At first, she was told about endless, uninteresting things and then some freaks tore her clothes. The measure was more than full.

Quickly, she grabbed one of her pistols again, aimed in the direction of her opponent and fired off. Shortly after the loud sound of the firing, a heavy impact sounded. This increased the presence of fear around her. So she had shot down somebody, who was also important to the team if she had to guess.

“Hello?” Asking, she called into the forest. The fear did not soften and rose instead. There were only two options, that they could take. Either they surrendered, or they would all die.  
“So...do we get the diamonds? Give them to us and you can go. I'm not going to kill you all here and now.”  
She waited for a moment until she noticed a sound from the bushes. Carefully, four heads pushed forward to make sure she did not attack. Only when they noticed, that she didn't move at all, they put a bag on the ground in front of the bush and opened the zipper. While one of them held the edges open, the other tipped the bag gently, so that she could see the contents. She realized without a problem, that it was the goods they were after.  
The stones shone handsomely in the sunlight and were definitely real. If she was mistaken, it was still not her problem. Her client had first to visit an examiner to find out if they were real or not. She would catch the payment before that.

Briefly nodding, she confirmed that the content was right and to her satisfaction. They took note of that and disappeared again in the thicket of the forest, leaving the bag behind.

  
“Well, we've solved the problem. Let's go back,” she demanded, glancing at her partner, who was still sitting on the ground. He muttered inches over the hard soil and looked at her with widened eyes.  
“What? Are you not feeling well?”  
“You're a monster!” He almost screamed like one of those girls from some fan clubs of some stars. But his response surprised her. She hadn't given herself any trouble. She had just spoken a few words, shot a man and swung her Katana through the area. He looked at her as if he had seen a ghost. If he was really afraid of the basic techniques from a Hunter, what would he say to the specialty of each individual?  
Once again she wondered if he was really one of her comrades when he behaved so strangely at the sight of a battle, that was not even a serious one.

“Did it bother you, that I killed someone?”  
“You just dodged arrows as if they were nothing. You shot someone from this distance without knowing where he is. Only the old witches are capable of possessing such powers!”  
“I'm only twenty-one years old. Chill out. I still have to learn a lot.”  
“Lies!” Desperately, he crawled back a few centimeters, not leaving her out of sight.  
“While we speak about witches, can I see your Hunter license?”  
If she thought more carefully about it, she hadn't even confirmed, that he was one of her accomplices. She had just walked into a bar and asked loudly who was a Hunter and needed help with a job. When he had responded, she had been way to happy and busy to check him.

“I have no license! I'm not a Hunter!”  
Sighing, she titled her head so that her short hair, which just reached a little over her chin, swung gently to the side.  
“I had asked for a Hunter, you idiot. It's your fault if you're not one of them. I've told you right from the start, that I'm strong.”  
“Everyone says that, but I thought you were kidding. You don't look so super strong!”  
From her sighing, a faint groan grew, while she was raising her Katana in front of his face.  
“Run away before I hit your head from your shoulders.”

He stopped crawling, screamed and rolled onto his stomach. On all fours, he tried to get forward, tried to get up, but always slipped off. His legs seemed soft as cotton.  
However, his will was stronger, which is why he found a way onto his wobbly cotton swabs and ran away as if a group of starved wolves were pursuing him.  
She watched him for a while. Her plan failed.  
In all those two years, she hadn't found anyone who was okay with becoming her firm partner. Instead, they ran away, killed themselves, or attempted an assassination on her. Thirty Hunter had already run away from her.  
She looked briefly at the bag, which was still standing alone on the way. She had to finish the job alone. After that, she had to pursue her own goals again.  
Find a new Hunter, for example.


	2. A new hunter

“Thank you for your work, but tell me, where is your partner?”  
Her client was positively surprised, that she was able to return the diamonds in such a short time. He also had no doubt, that they were the real deal, which probably meant, that he had knowledge in this part. Joyfully, he looked at them before looking around for her companion again.  
“He started the second mission and has already gone ahead if you want to take it this way.”  
“A second? How popular you are!”  
Nodding, she smiled at him, wondering why she did not just say that he had run away. Like a small dog with retracted tail. Just because he hadn't expected, that a Hunter was so much stronger than a normal human. She wasn't even that strong, just praised herself higher, so that he would show some respect. And it worked not in a single second.  
“I would be ready to take the payment.” While she held her hands open, she leaned a little forward to him. She would certainly use the money well while looking for a Hunter. Where should she begin to look?

Without looking at her, he held a cell phone in front of her nose, so that she could watch how he transferred the money to her account. She had now a million Jenny more than before. Short bowing to him, she turned to the exit.

Standing in front of the building, she took a deep breath. If she had to be honest, she didn't want to look for a new Hunter, to whom she could stand aside. It was exhausting and no one wanted to stay that long with her. Even her interest wasn't high enough to run after her lost partners, just to get them back. In the end, she was on her own again. At least after every fifth day.  
Not everyone had been like her last one. Some noticed, that they could fight better when they were alone. So it didn't make sense to take a trip together any further. Others fell in love and felt, that a girl at their side reduced the chance to get the one they loved.  
No matter what it was, ultimately she was alone, always looking for a new partner.  
Maybe she would be a bit more selective, this time.

Slowly, she began to move. The advantage in this city, where she was, was that there stood a bar, where almost only Hunter visited. Some of them found themselves there because a kind of blackboard with orders in each arena was standing at this place. It was the food for those, who didn't feel like visiting an office for a job. Maybe, because they had to pay for the information. Money, that was easily saved by Blackboard users.

♦♣♦

Her path passed most of the houses in the inner city, right into a rather deserted corner between all the buildings and shop windows. The mood was much more depressed than before and she noticed, that a lot of strong personalities had found their way into this place. To be exact, in a building, which was already striking at first sight.

It looked much older than the rest of the houses, malformed with ivy, and only the door together with some windows were still visible behind the green curtain. No one, who was not sure of his strength, entered this building and found out again in one piece. She herself wasn't really interested in trouble, but no one could confirm, that she would come out of that uninjured.  
Hunter were always a bit less friendly than others, simply because each one of them was aware of his strength and wanted to show it. They only worked in teams, when the employer demanded it. Or if in the course of time someone really found a friend for tasks. Friendships before the Hunter being also included.

Sighing, she went to the entrance. If she had had friends, she probably wouldn't have to look for a Hunter. But there were no other children in the place, where she grew up. No one was there in her age. She was completely alone.  
During the exam, she found no one to whom she would fit. Some were already strong teams, others were so badly spoiled, that she preferred to let them run into some knives instead of helping out.  
Somehow she had already been a little picky in her selection at that time. Meanwhile, this fact had changed. She greeted everything and everyone welcome, just to avoid the loneliness. For as she said in the interview two years ago, she couldn't without people at her side. Feeling alone, to have no one to speak to, all that drove her into madness. She would not deny that solitude was one of her greatest enemies.

She pushed the door open with a powerful kick. Her goal was to be as relaxed as possible. Well, she was anything but that. It was said that the more relaxed and unimpressed one was, the greater the probability of being recognized.

The inner of the house brought her a light stuffy air saturated with alcohol to contrary. Men were sitting at a counter, drinking the contents of the glasses, which were served them, gradually until the last drop. The light, which seemed to shine only dull through the windows, illuminated the room just enough to recognize the essentials. Three men at the counter, seven more at the tables and two silhouettes on a bench in the back corner of the room. One of them was certainly a woman, for piercing the air with a smell of perfume.

She let her gaze wander through the room. No one paid any particular attention.  
The blackboard, which was near the counter, was filled with notes. Everyone had the chance to hang something up there, he just had to tell the bartender.  
Perhaps she would look at one or the other order. Money could always be used well.  
Shortly she shook her head. That wasn't the reason why she was standing in this bar.  
Legs apart, she positioned herself relatively centrally in the room and took a deep breath before throwing her question out loud.  
“Who of you is a Hunter?”  
Most of them raised their heads and looked at her urgently. In fact, there were also persons in the room, who were only regarded as an accompaniment or an assignment and were waiting for a candidate. Thus, only five of the persons in the room were Hunters.

“What do you want, little one?” A strong, middle-aged man rose from his place. His eyes were mocking her, as he looked down from above. Surely she had nothing to show him in terms of physical strength. No matter where she looked, muscles were gracing his body. Almost too many. They made him stronger, but probably slower.  
“I'm looking for a Hunter.”  
“Do you need help? Since you're cute, I'll give you a discount if you ask me for help.”  
Annoyed her eyes turning away, she turned into another direction. She didn't look like a Hunter of which she was aware. Nobody could recognize a single muscle on her body and her presence was not immediately the malignancy in person. Rather, she looked like a sweet school girl.  
Sighing, she tugged at her black shorts before she answered him.  
“I don't really need any help, and even if I needed it, I certainly wouldn't get to a gorilla of this size after this action.”  
She let go of her shorts, threw a mocking glance at the Colossus and looked around again. All eyes were still fixed on her.

“You have a pretty big mouth for being that weak.”  
“Yeah, however, if that was all, do we have more Hunters here?”  
“Why are you looking for Hunters, if it is not for an order?” Another man rose. His short, brown hair was kept knitted backward, which was why he reminded a little of a mafia chief.  
“I'm looking for a Hunter to support.”  
“Support?” Both men looked visibly confused, which she couldn't even blame. There were only a few Hunters, who were like her. This was solely due to the fact, that everyone liked to go into an area that pleased him. Since she couldn't be happy without a person by her side, she went into one of the departments that housed the fewest Hunters. Although it was probably also the nicest of all, as long as they had no partner.  
“I'm a Support Hunter. My job is to help and support Hunter like you. If you are wondering now, I'm not weaker than you are. I'd rather work in a team and that's why I'm looking for a Hunter for me.”  
A short silence followed her words before one of the Hunters broke out in loud laughter. She hadn't expected it differently, but this reaction was anything but pleasing.  
“A girl like you is one you have to teach how to behave in front of a true Hunter. Support Hunter. How funny. There are certainly not just that few of you because you are so superior.”  
“As I said, we prefer to work in teams. We prefer to support and defend a particular person. Is this a problem for you?”  
“True Hunters need no help!”  
“I suppose “true” Hunters have so much to do, that they don't have time to sit around and drink a beer.”  
“You little...”

Before she knew, he was already standing beside her. Snorting, he took out one of his huge fists, aiming straight at her face. Not like it was a big deal. Barely she dodged so that he passed her with a lot of swing and came down far enough so that she could hit him a knee in the face. He stumbled backward, panting and glaring at her again.  
“So, as I said, I'm looking for a Hunter to support.”  
“You stupid...”  
“Now we all settle down first, okay?” A third man spoke up. He seemed to be in his mid-thirties, with the manner in which he faced the situation. In a moment, he looked at the muscle pack, who tried his best to keep himself together. Then he swerved his gaze at the avoidable mafia chief, who had long since sat down again. Shortly after, he looked straight into her eyes before he strokes one of his long strands of hair back and smiled at her.  
“Let's go outside, I'd like to learn more about Support Hunters.”  
With these words, he walked past her, straight out of the door without turning around again. Although she was a bit confused, she followed him.

Behind the door, she met a lovely sight. The man who had freed her from the situation was standing in the light of the setting sun. His hair shone golden, while his eyes appeared in an icy blue. She had never seen anything so beautiful.  
The simple white suit on his body gave away the fact, that he didn't need to clothe himself strikingly. Not if he looked so good.

“Support Hunter...so. I've heard of you before, but I've never ever seen one. Most Hunters prefer to work alone. Tell me, how do you act, if you find someone to support?”  
She wasn't surprised at his question, much happier about his interest.  
“There is no difference when we find someone. With a Hunter from my class, you go on adventures in pairs. We travel together, exchange information and fight together. But we are not tied to each other. Of course, you can also fight separately, but you can always rely on us to keep your back free. Anyone who wants to surprise our partner from behind has to pass us first.”  
He nodded his head. Probably, he thought about something. But instead of telling, he approached her. He stopped a few centimeters before and smiled. He brought back one of his losing strands to the rest of his hair.  
It was pretty long, almost reaching his waist. He had tied it into a loose braid. Some hair strings hung out and fell over his shoulder, from the adjoining front, which reached to his eyes. Fine facial expressions were imprinted in her head, as he stood before her and smiled incessantly.

“Yes. I think I've decided.”  
Now it was her turn to look in confusion. She had no idea, what he was talking about.  
“My name is William Perenington. I'm a pro Hunter and I'd be happy to see if you and I would make a good team. Let me see, how good a Hunter from your class is!” He held out his hand.  
“If so...My name is Shiba Erskine.”  
“Erskine?”  
“Yes, does it sound weird?”  
He looked at her, puzzled, before shaking his head and raising a new smile.  
“No, it's nothing.”  
“Then I'm glad to stand at your side, William.”

She could hardly believe her own luck. In fact, she had found a Hunter. A real Hunter. She paused. Was he really?

“Sorry it I have to ask, but would you show me your Hunter license? And can you tell me, if you have a goal in mind?”  
He nodded, putting out a card of his pocket, which clearly stated that he was a confirmed Hunter.  
“I would love to go to the Heavens Arena in Padokia. I've heard that if you can beat ten people on the two-hundredth floor, you can fight against extremely strong fighters and you can even be registered for a special event.”  
“That sounds exciting!”  
“Yeah, right? Wouldn't it be great, if we both managed to make it to the top?”  
Her heart made a little jump. He had been the ideal Hunter for her. Friendly, with the same goal in mind as her. He wanted to make it up to the top and if he meant it seriously, she would follow him to the grave.

“Sure!” She gave out happily. Something better couldn't happen.


	3. Doors to heaven

Her new companion had been more than committed, which involved the part of the transfer to Padokia. She could hardly follow him since he had already bought two tickets for an airship, kicked her into it and dropped off with her in front of the Heavens Arena.  
Everything, what she could recognize clearly and comprehensibly, without passing her like an express train, was the huge building, which seemed to have no end.

It rose far up into the sky and Shiba quickly understood why it was called the Heavens Arena. The tip of the building was not even visible.  
No matter how she turned and turned, it was a majestic building, created by human hands. If the interior was as breathtaking as the exterior, she would ask William to move in with her. The rent wouldn't be cheap, but it would be worth it for such a miraculous sight.

“Did you know, that we're get paid for fighting here?”  
She looked surprised at her right side, on which her partner stood.  
"We'll be paid?”  
“Yes. The higher we get, the more money we earn.”  
It sounded like music to her ears. Since she spent a lot of money on food, clothing, and weapons, she was somehow always close to having literally no cash left. When the arena paid well, she didn't even mind taking the two hundred floors completely apart. It didn't matter how strong her opponents were. When it came to money, she was sure of every victory.

In a trance, she began to move slowly. Tightly followed by William, she took a course at the entrance. Even the area outside, in front of the doors, had been more than normal. Benches of dark wood were found in some places, surrounded by delicate plants and shrubs, which gave a pleasant and slightly romantic mood. A fountain found itself in the field, relatively centrally with a few persons gardened around, who gradually threw a little money into it. A fountain, she remembered it. A myth, that deserved her attention.  
Shortly, she glanced over the shoulder at her partner, who followed her with a joyful smile. Most likely, he didn't mind, even if she lost herself in the myth of the fountain for a moment. A small part of life, which had also cost her a lot of money.  
Whenever she heard, that something antique was supposed to have magical powers, she had to buy it, or use it at least. Among them were these fountains, as well as fortune-tellers, sacred objects, and rituals, which were mediated by scrolls.  
She could resist none of them, what she regretted most of her time. Never had any of her desires were fulfilled. But forgetting this stuff seemed out of question.  
That's why she went over to all those people.  
For a moment, she watched the rippling water as it fell into the lower part, joined the source and accepted the money that was offered to him.

“Do you want to wish for something?” Somewhat skeptically, the blonde guy raised an eyebrow while he followed her gaze.  
“You can try it at least once. After all, it's not much that you give, and it's fun.”  
“Fun? Isn't that rather a waste of money?”  
Sighing, she pushed him aside. She kept him in the eye, as she took a coin out of her pocket and let it disappear between her palms, squeezing it a little. She thought of a sentence in her head.  
Her desire, which she secretly wanted to hand over together with the Jenny in her hands, to the gods of water.

_> >I wish I could find the ideal Hunter after five days at my side.<<_

Concentrated, she dropped the coin into the water and finally lost eye contact, as it disappeared.  
She had made her wish. If the gods fulfilled it for her, the ideal Hunter would still be at her side after five days. William, to describe it a little better.  
If William was still with her after five days, he had survived the normal staying-rate at her side and the chances got pretty low, that he left her.

“Are you satisfied now?” Interested, he put his head on her shoulder. Although he had to go way down, he didn't seem to mind. It was certainly not comfortable to have to come down, almost thirty centimeters, from about a meter ninety.  
“Yes, I think I am satisfied now. Let's go inside, okay?”

Before William could answer her, he was interrupted by the loud voice of a little boy. He was completely fascinated by the Heavens Arena building, while another boy, slightly at his age, was laughing. Both seemed to be doing the same thing as she and her partner, which made them even more interesting.  
“Do you think these two are going to storm into the arena?”  
“The guys? Could be possible. Hunters are available in all ages.”  
“We should say hello. The more people we meet, the more we can assess the skills of our enemies.”  
Sighing, he straightened his position, scratching slightly the back of his head.  
“If it makes you happy, Shiba.”  
Smiling, she looked at him. He really was the perfect partner.

With his consent, she walked up to the two children and faced one of them without any warning. She followed his gaze, which seemed to devour the building.  
“It's beautiful, isn't it?”  
“Yes, I have never seen such a huge building.”  
One of them answered her immediately. His face was pretty joyful, as he looked at her. The hazel-brown eyes were resolute, though at the same time friendly and obliging.  
He seemed to have seen quite a few things, even when he was still that young.  
She looked briefly at him from top to bottom. He was completely dressed in green and next to his hair, there were few, black accents in appearance. Compared to a grasshopper there was hardly any difference.

“Do you guys want to take this place on?”  
“Yes, we heard that you can make a lot of money here," instead of the boy in front of her, his companion spoke up. Visibly, he was a completely different type. His eyes cut through the distance, that held them apart. This boy was not normal at all.  
“We also intend to take part. Do you want to go with us together? Of course, we would be enemies, as soon as we reached floor two hundred, but until then we could have more fun in a group.”

Meanwhile, her partner had also joined her. Like the first encounter, he seemed exceedingly trustworthy and aroused a certain degree of interest, when the boys were a little like her.  
The two of them looked at each other before turning to her again.  
“Sounds fun.”  
“I have no objection to this either.”  
Joyfully, she clapped her hands together.  
“May I know your names? My name is Shiba and the man at my side is William. He's a Hunter and I'm his Support.”  
“I'm Gon!”  
“Killua. We're also Hunters.”  
Both introduced themselves to her and as William has told her, there were actually Hunters in probably all ages. Also, a topic that interested her.  
“You look pretty young,” she said, smiling like an angel, waiting for an answer.  
“We're twelve. So really quite young, I suppose.” Thoughtfully, Killua crossed his hands behind his white head. At about the same time, Shiba turned to her partner in shock, while he only laughed and put a hand on her shoulder.  
He had told her about this, that was a fact. 

 


	4. Way up!

Together with the guys, they went to the counter to submit an application. While the woman behind the glass told them a few words, Shiba used the time to look around. The interior of the building looked as appealing as the exterior. White tiles covered the floor, patterned with some black accents. Plants were found in some corners, erected and decorated with small accessories.  
People were everywhere, as far as the eye could reach. Each of them seemed fixated on the fighting. Some of them looked extremely relaxed, other determined and only a few pretty nervous.  
  
She could tell, that some people lacked the potential to make it to the top floor. It was true, that each of them had something that made them stick out, but just because some had some more muscles than others didn't make them stronger.  
She had already shown it several times. The last time was when she had met William in the bar. It was mostly a way of tactic and reaction.  
  
“Shiba, are you coming?”  
Torn away from her thoughts, she turned to her partner, who was a few steps away from her. She smiled shortly before she followed him and tried to catch up.  
“Was there something important in the description of that woman?”  
“Only that the price increases, the higher we get. If you win a fight, you'll be able to see which way they send you next. The more you dominate, the higher the chances of getting on a high floor.”  
“Let's think about it. If the money rises in the corridor, it should be at the top the highest.” She looked straight forward, breathing deeply. Gon and Killua ran ahead of them and talked about one or another unimportant thing. How she would have liked to talk to someone, a friend or an accomplice she had known for a long time. Even if she was thrilled by William, the time seemed too early to talk to him about anything. She had to be a little more patient. She had to wait until he was confirmed as really fitting for her when she would talk to him about everything that came in her mind. Just as real friends did.  
  
♦♣♦  
  
A hall, which as far as the eye could reach, was surrounded by grandstands and balconies, stretched in all splendor. The squares were mostly free, as only a few seemed interested in seeing a fight from the lower class. Understandable. The battles of the upper floors were certainly a lot more exciting, while on this place one could only watch, who jumped into which floor.  
  
Her gaze fell upon a little card in her hand. Up to a certain floor, everyone was called by the name of the number. For all the candidates who wished to participate, this was absolutely comprehensible.  
“Excited?”  
William gently grabbed her by the arm as he took her down the stairs and pulled her to a seat next to Gon and Killua.  
“No. I thought only a little about how it would look on the upper corridors. I would not mind if a few really strong opponents are put in the selection.”  
“You think so...?” Sighing slightly, he twisted the corners of his mouth down.  
Since she couldn't interpret this part of him, she turned away and looked down at the four battlefields on each of which a judge was to be found.  
  
“We now announce the first fights.” The voice of a woman sounded from the loudspeakers on the ceiling. She could feel the excitement rising in her. How far would she come at a stroke?  
“On the surface, we ask the numbers thirty-two and eighty-eight. On Area B, we ask the numbers seventy, as well as ninety-eight. On area C-”  
She stood up immediately. Nervously brushing on of her white strands back, she took a deep breath. So she got one of the first fights.  
Gon, who was also called, lifted from his seat. He looked much more confident than she was.  
“Give it all, Shiba,” her partner cheered little for her, which forced her to smile. She wasn't afraid of the fight in general, rather she was nervous because there were way too many people for her taste. Five people alone were already too much.  
  
Stiff as a board, she walked down the stairs until she found herself on the given surface. A man stomped across the field. His stern gaze and the upright posture gave her a thought. He looked frailer than he might be. Everyone who entered the ring had to take the risk of being crushed, and since weapons were not allowed, it was solely up to the physical fitness.  
  
When he saw her, a wide grin got around his very narrow lips. It was enough to let his lips nearly disappear. A strange way to assert himself.  
She, on the other hand, didn't even changed her mine, while she looked at him from head to toe. Just an old jogging pants, simple shoes, and a top dressed him. It was either his outfit to fight, or he spontaneously decided to go to the heavens Arena after jogging. Such things often happened. There were many people, who decided spontaneously. At least she believed in that fact.  
  
“The rules are simple. If you are pushed out of the battlefield, the fight is lost. Logically, you will not continue, if you should be defeated. Otherwise, the system runs according to points. Simple punches, which affect the fight, give a point. If your opponent drops to the ground, there is still a point on top. Critical attacks, which strongly influence the battle visibly, count with three points. Lost is the fight when ten points have been reached. So far clear?”  
At the same time, the judge explained the rules and the point system. It was understandable enough, that none of them had to ask. The concept was only to win. Slowly, he raised his hand, took a deep breath before announcing the start of the match.  
  
The sooner she came past him, the earlier she could leave her place. While her counterpart, therefore, had entered the battle position, which he had probably rehearsed for a long time, she pushed herself forward with a little effort from the ground.  
He didn't even notice how fast she was standing in front of him with her fist. Firmly, she put the left foot forward, twisted it a little inside to avoid a slipping. She kept her right foot in the background if she had to make a counter-attack. But with the reaction capability of her opponent, this was more than unnecessary planning.  
She got the blow of her right fist straight into his stomach, with a few drops of blood finding their way out of his mouth to the outside.  
But getting back was out of question. With about half her strength, she carried him in a straight flight into the wall outside the field. He sank so easily in it, that it almost looked like a flight against a rubber wall. Only that he was not thrown back and hung with this on the spot.  
The judge looked at her, then at the man, before raising his hand again and announcing her victory. Cheerfully, she hopped over to him.  
“In which floor do I come?” She looked expectantly at the device, which he held in the hands.  
“You're the first time here, but with this power, you don't need to stay down here. As I can see, corridor hundred twenty is your next stop.” He briefly tapped some data in before pulling a card out of the device and holding it under her nose. The number of her next goal had been set.  
Nodding, she turned around and left the battlefield, going back to William and the others. Gon also sat back in his seat. His fight seemed not to have been the hardest.  
  
“Where are they going to send you, Shiba?” The boy asked curiously in his green outfit.  
“Hundred twenty. How is your place?”  
“What? So high? I got send to the fiftieth floor.”  
“It's because she's made a good blow and we said we're going to get on slowly.” Killua also intervened, seeming bored rather than amazed at her success.  
“As it looks, I'll be next.”  
“While they were talking about their seats in the corridors, Williams number was called. For the first time, she would see her partner fighting.  
  
Expecting a lot, she fell into her seat. She knew nothing about him, so it was important to read as much as possible from his actions.  
He found his way to the determined place. He also found a man, who was already sobering with his muscular stature. William, on the other hand, didn't let himself disturbed, stroke his hair and held a hand to his waist. His pose showed how secure he was in his victory. Something that she believed him, without being able to confirm it.  
  
Like her own fight, his was called into the round, in which case the opponent of her partner made the first move. With his fist, he aimed at the face of her accomplice, while William moved to the side without problems. Uncoordinated, his opponent stumbled past him, which he took advantages of and made a clean twist before he slammed his leg into his back. The suffocating exclamation of pain echoed through the room as his spine was pushed merciless forward.  
But William seemed to save energy. He flew off the plane but didn't come close to the wall. In the middle of the way, he bounced forward on the ground with his face and remained motionless. The victory was sure for her partner, but certainly, he wouldn't get the same corridor.  
  
Smiling, he came back, swinging his card back and forth apologetically.  
“Sorry, Shiba, but I probably would have broken the backbone, if I had moved on. I can only be on corridor hundred.”  
She shook her head. His decision had been right.  
“Don't worry. How would it be, if we all agreed to get back together in the hall two hundred? Until then, we will fight for our self until we reach the top.”  
“That sounds good. I doubt anyway, that we always come to the same level. So we set two hundred as the target.”  
Unanimously, they all nodded at this decision.  
The joy on the top floor increased enormously and if she arrived before William on the top, she could for sure feed him already with valuable information.

 


	5. Straight line

“The winning participant in this match is Shiba. She will now rise to floor two hundred.”  
Sighing, she went off the place. Starting at the hundredth corridor, everyone got an own room to relax.  
She had spent only two days in it. From time to time, when she went to fight, she either ran in one of the two boys or William, who mostly ignored her.  
  
Her last fight, before she reached the top floor, was nothing more than a bad joke. Her opponent was a young woman, who had only found herself so far up because she used her charms against the male participants. However, since Shiba was interested in men and not in woman, the alleged, adorable poses simply annoyed her. She gave her a particularly strong blow to the stomach, simply because she thought that this woman had completely destroyed the image of the female species. A shame in her eyes.  
  
With this victory and the assurance that all people in this arena were simply weak, she went into the elevator. As she pressed the button and waited for her transfer, she let her mind wander.  
She had won a lot of money from the last battles. When the prize money on the last floor rose again, she soon had more numbers on her account than she could spend, let alone say. She would never again have to worry about being broke. A glimpse of light in her finances, as she used to say.  
  
A high ringing signal told her, that she had arrived at the top. The door of the elevator opened quickly, and in front of her stretched a very noble hallway. The red carped conveyed a sense of importance.  
Somewhat excited, she set foot on her new territory and looked around. From the construction, the hall didn't really differ from the lower floors. However, he accommodated more luxury, as well as a certain amount of tension in the air. Maybe the fighters on the top floor were not as weak as she had expected. This would increase the voltage considerably.  
  
She followed the passage, which was right in front of her nose. Directly at the end was a switch, behind which a young woman stared bored into the air.  
Probably no one had come to her for a while.  
  
“Hello. I just arrived on this floor. Do I get a room key here?” Cautiously, she approached the glass pane.  
“Ah, a new one? Welcome to the two-hundredth floor! If you are ready, I will now inform you about the innovations here.”  
The gaze of the woman, who was bored to death a second before, changed suddenly into a happy shining look. Her kindness and the way she wavered excitedly, let Shiba overthink the matter if the hall was really full of monsters.  
“I'm ready.”  
“Okay, so there is no prize money anymore. You are fighting for your -,“ she didn't come to the end, as Shiba, full of horror, had her hands pounded on the counter.  
“No money?” She screamed, disbelievingly as she fixed her gaze at the receptionist.  
“As I wanted to say...you fight for your glory.”  
Shocked, she staggered a few steps back. She didn't want to fight for any glory or fame.  
“Can I just leave?”  
“Not so fast, that's not all! If you win ten fights here, you can challenge a floor master. If you win this part of the challenge as well, you get among the most prestigious arenas,” she gave all to convince Shiba.  
“Is it permissible...if I just go?”  
“Are you listening to me at all?”  
“Yes...so..Exit?”  
“The rooms are an absolute luxury and the cost is covered by the Heavens Arena.”  
“Doesn't mean, that I can make money here.”  
Meanwhile, she was leaning against the wall with her back, so she slipped slowly and helplessly down the rough track.  
“A...Are you well?”  
Shiba didn't answer. Depressed, she put her head on her knees and remained in that position. Her motivation to do something was almost none existent. Without money, she would be broke. So what was the meaning of the fight in the upper arena?  
“If you can still hear me...you have to register for a fight within the next thirty days. If you don't, you will be disqualified and have to start down again. Would you like to fill out a form?”  
The addressee raised a hand.  
“It's all right. I'll just sit here for the next thirty days and plan a few defeats next time, so I'll never have to get up her again.”  
“B...But don't you like all the possibility here? Think about it. Fame. You go somewhere and everyone immediately knows how strong you are. They praise and acknowledge you. Many people want to fight you or want to be at your side. Is that nothing?”  
She didn't even look up when she gave her answer.  
“'I'm a Support Hunter. Fame, recognition and fighting are not in my interest if it doesn't affect my partner.”  
“Then you will become very popular as a Support. The Hunters will tear themselves up to get you!”  
“And then, they will send me into the desert, because I am probably stronger than they are.”  
The woman behind the glass made no sound. Instead, she just stared again some holes into the air. She gave up in trying to convince Shiba, as this task didn't make any sense.  
  
♦♣♦  
  
“Shiba? Shiba?”  
Grumbling, she raised her head as she heard her name. Having realized that the top floor had no appeal to her, she simply had fallen asleep in her position to wait for the thirty days to pass.  
“What is it?” Annoyed, she put her head in the neck, turning her gaze in the direction from which the voice came.  
“What are you doing there?”  
In front of her was William, who looked down at her completely irritated. He looked just as groomed and relaxed as ever. There was only a small crease between his eyes, revealing that he was not quite sure what to do with her.  
"Have you talked to the woman behind the glass?"  
"Yes. Was there a problem with the explanation? "  
She just clicked her tongue to release her frustration.  
"There is no more prize money. I see no point in making it any further. "  
For a short moment, he looked at her pretty confused, before bursting out into loud laughter. While she couldn't follow his thoughts, he went down a little so he could be in the same high with her.  
"We are not just here to make money. Shiba, we want to make it to the top. This opportunity is absolute! Forget the money, let's make it up there! "  
"But without money, there is no way upwards."  
"The costs from here on are covered. We only spend money, when we buy something ourselves or when we donate it. We are rich enough to be able to say that we can reach the top. Or was that all? Don't you want to be by my side? Am I not able to fulfill your wishes? "  
  
He knew exactly how he got her on the hook. She wanted to be with her hunter and she wanted to the top, that was fact. But just as important was the possession of money. Some bad habits had already driven her to ruin. Something that she could not stand.  
Yet her happiness in relation to William was much more important than wealth.  
"I think ... I can do without it for some time." Glutinously, she turned her look away from him. William, on the other hand, stood up at her reply and held out his hand.  
"Then let us take the hallway apart! Just rest a little and tomorrow I expect you to be fresh in my room! "  
Nodding, she reached for his open palm and rose. From the receptionist, she got the room key of her new empire and thus she separated from her partner.  
  
With quick steps, she followed the corridor until she stood at the door, which had her number hanging in large numbers at the front. Cautiously, she opened the massive wood, and shortly afterward, she put her head through the door gap to examine the interior.  
The dark ground was pleasantly detached from the furnishings. She saw a big TV, standing on a dark spot. Also, a huge bed and a table, together with a chair, close to the window.  
She couldn't say, that she was dissatisfied about the picture.  
  
"A nice room, isn't it?"  
She quickly turned around so that her white hair danced gracefully through the air. On her right side were three men, who each looked duller than the other. One of them was sitting in a wheelchair, while the other two were standing, but not exactly normal. First of all, because one of them looked more like a rotary. His dark red cloak concealed the most of what one wanted to see the most  
"Yes."  
Fast, she realized that none of them was a really serious threat. So she turned back to the inside of her room.  
Just as she wanted to put a foot in, she was again approached by one of the three musketeers.  
"Before you go. How about if you fight one of us in a match? "  
"No interest. At least not now. "  
Without waiting for resonance, she closed the door behind her back and looked more closely around. Theoretically, it was possible to live in this space. She just had to see how long.

 


	6. Mission

Thoughtfully, she pulled one of her socks over her knee to the thigh. The holes were fortunately as small as before and since she had grown accustomed to the damaged one, she had also no intention of exchange anymore.  
Her thoughts circled around as she got into her top. William wanted to see her, he had clearly expressed that wish the day before. She knew, that he would put up a plan to get them together to the top. Still, she didn't get rid of the feeling of overlooking something important.  
  
Sighing, she straightened the dark red top. The collar was anything but pleasant to her neck. She got this strange feeling of being strangled and it happened only when she overlooked something essential. It was a reaction of her body, which almost reminded her of a kind of self-defense. It tried to stop her from being stupid. Perhaps it was because of the corridor, or the men who had talked to her the night before.  
Shaking her head, she slipped into her ankle boots. Smiling, she looked down at herself. She had made a wise choice with the dark red color for shoes and the top, as she could tell from experience, that blood was less seen when it stuck on a similar background. Her color choice had often spared her a lot of trouble.  
Slowly, she fixed her weapons on the spot. She wasn't aware of whether she was violating any rules, but she didn't feel comfortable leaving the room without any equipment.  
One last time she looked down. With a little luck, she had everything she needed.  
  
With these thoughts, she left her room and went down the hall. Her partner's room was almost at the end of the corridor, so she had to pass the front desk again. Most likely she would ask one or two questions to the woman behind the glass. There were things that she couldn't get to know, as the description was pretty much the same. Still, she had to be prepared for anything. Her biggest job as a Support was to keep her Hunter's back free. It didn't matter in which situation. It was a must.  
  
As she walked over the red carpet, distracted from the corner of her eye, someone was sitting on the ground. He leaned his back against the wall and held a knee bent so that he could put an arm on it. He had put the other on the ground so that no one could fall over him.  
Dreaming, he stared at a card in his hand, which gave her a smile. He reminded her a little of a magician, who could only be found in the circus. It was mainly due to his appearance.  
The strange, black top, with the yellow edges on the shoulders and around the neck, which only reached just over half of his stomach, had a heart, as well as a diamond on his chest. The red of these two characters was only slightly different from the ground, and so directed the attention to the yellow.  
He kept his hair combed back if one could call it this way. As they struck rather uncoordinated waves in some places and reached obliquely into the air, the use of gel didn't fall into the possible selection. But its effect didn't fail.  
She had a clear look at his face. The striking features, which were found on it, had been quite handsome. If she had to judge this, he certainly was in his late twenties. Maybe a bit younger.  
She let her eyes glide down on him. His pale skin was perfect and absolutely to envy. When she looked at her own, she always found somewhere a bruise or scratch from some kind of fighting.  
  
“Can I help you?”  
Horrified, she widened her eyes. She hadn't noticed, that she had just stopped in front of him. All the time, she had stood there and stared at him.  
“I'm fine,” she said softly, but she couldn't take her eyes off from him. On both cheeks, he wore a small painting. While there was a pink tear on his left, a yellow star flashed on the other. Maybe he was a clown rather than a magician.  
“Really?” His soft, playful voice, took her a bit further out of the way. Not because it made him more attractive, rather because she had the feeling that he wanted to annoy her. He took the situation as it was and directed it into an embarrassing direction for her. Certainly, he had noticed at the first eye contact that she regretted her own stupidity.  
“Really!” She hissed back helplessly, turning around so that she took her course back to her real destination. But before she went on, she looked down over her shoulder. A moment when their eyes met for a moment and didn't separate from each other. Yellow irises, in mischievous, narrow eyes. Only when he gave her a mocking grin, she turned her head forward again. She could feel the shame shooting the blush into her cheeks. Really no one could help her sometimes.  
  
With a feeling as if he wouldn't take his eyes off her, she stumbled to the door of her partner. She didn't even dare to look to the side and make sure that this man was still sitting on the spot.  
Decently, she knocked on the wood, hoping that William would hurry. He actually opened the door very quickly and allowed her entrance.  
  
“You took longer than I expected. Is everything okay? Your cheeks are reddened.” While he closed the door behind her, she only waved her hand.  
“Nothing special. Just a guy who sits in the hallway and takes people with his stupid grin from the frame. I must admit, this floor is full of strange people. I feel so normal among all these individuals.”  
“If we're good, you don't have to bear that for so long,” he laughed, offering her a place at the table, which was also in her room. Looking more closely, she realized that the rooms didn't differ a bit from each other.  
Thanking, she sat down on the chair and watched as William sat on the sofa, which stood in front of the television.  
  
“I think you already know why I asked you here.”  
“I can imagine it. It's about the fighting, isn't it?”  
He looked nodding at her.  
“Shiba, I will need your help.”  
“I am your Support. I help where I can.”  
“I've already signed up for a fight. My opponent is Phinar. I can't tell you anything more. I only know that this person is in room twenty-four. So far he or she has a statistic of three victories and a defeat,” he took a short breath and looked at her with a serious mine.  
“That's quite a lot of information. What should I do? Shall I determine the abilities of this person so that you can prepare for the battle?”  
“Almost.”  
His eyes didn't change, which caused her a shudder. What did he mean by almost?  
“Do you want me to think of a way to make the fight easier for you?”  
With a cloudy mine, he shook his head.  
“I guess the people up here are really strong. That's why I also assume, that the battles won't be easy if you don't study your opponent. My fight is tomorrow. There isn't much time left. If I really use all my strength, I would destroy a lot of the arena. My true strength is not suitable for small surfaces.”  
“I don't understand,” she looked at him confused.  
“Shiba, I could seriously hurt a lot of people.”  
“Should I evacuate them and tell the reception that only hardened judges are allowed to watch the fight?”  
“That's not it. I have to keep this power secret until we get to the top.”  
She shook her head.  
“What am I supposed to do? I can't help you if you don't tell me what to do. If your strength can't come to light, then we have to think of a way to win the fight without the use of this. But you don't want to know what your opponent can do. You don't want to build a strategy. What do you want? Give up?”  
“What I want is your help.”  
“What can I do? I am your Support. Tell me what you need and I'll get it.”  
Shortly, he sucked in the air, before rising from the sofa and walking towards her. In front of Shiba, he bent down.  
“What I need is a victory. One I can achieve without having to use my strength. The only way is that my opponent won't compete tomorrow. What I need is your strength as my Support.”  
She looked at him disbelievingly. She could imagine what he would ask of her. Still, she wanted to hear it from his mouth.  
“Shiba, kill Phinar.”  
  
This one sentence staggered her small world. Neither did she understand why he wanted to go so far, nor why she should kill his opponent. There were many ways to get a person out of action.  
Was he going to be safe?  
“Here on this floor, it is permitted to use weapons of any kind. That is why it isn't even noticeable if you run around here with your stuff. You can kill your target, disappear, and no one could attach it to you.”  
Thoughtfully, she shook her head.  
“William, I don't think we should do that. It takes ten wins to get into the upper league. Do you ask me to kill ten people so you don't have to fight? It will be noticed. If none of your opponents show up, even the most stupid idiots on this floor will notice.”  
“I'm aware of that,” he smiled, a little further down to her, almost touching the tip of her nose.  
“I'm not going to win any fight this way. The ones I really fight, I will take seriously. Whether I win or lose lies the stars.”  
“You have to do at least six battles so you don't throw a false light on us.”  
“Us?” His laughter irritated her only more. “You will fight against all your opponents. You will lead one of against to me. So hit me well and lose. We will deceive the audience and no one will notice it.”  
“Are you sure?”  
“I want to go to the top with you, and I think a few dead people are better than a whole hall full of corpses.”  
  
She rose reluctantly from the chair and put a hand on her upper arm.  
“If you do it for the sake of the audience, I have no choice.”  
Joyfully, he pressed a kiss to her forehead.  
“I knew I could count on you. You're the best!”  
Only a tired smile made it on her lips. She didn't understand him. Don't even understand her situation. There were so many questions that remained unanswered. But for a Support, it was important to have a certain amount of confidence, so she wanted to believe that her partner was on the right. If he knew what he was doing and it was really the right thing, she didn't want to ask him any more questions.  
“Well then. I'm counting on you. I have my fight tomorrow evening around six o'clock. You have time until then.”  
“All right.”  
  
With a touch of remorse on her heart, which made her breathing difficult, she left his room. Uncertainty was one of the main words in her vocabulary, which was following her new job. Even if it didn't suit her, she had said yes to him. She had to make a plan.  
First, it was important to find out who the person was she looked for. Then she had to think about an approach. Did she break in and just killed her out of nowhere, or did she build a kind of friendship, a relationship?  
Her gaze lowered as she walked down the hall.  
Approaching wasn't the best thing in such a short time. So it was only to find out when she should kill her target. If the fight was in the evening, it would be enough if she attacked in the late afternoon.  
Sighing, she stopped.  
How should she get into the room?  
  
“Oh, you came back. Do you need my help?”  
Horrified, she stumbled back a few steps, her gaze falling on the man in front of her. The clown was still sitting on the ground and his challenging smile hadn't changed much.  
“No, I still don't need your help,” she replied, slightly snappy.  
“Why then do you stop in front of me? Are we talking about love at first sight?”  
His grin broadened as she stared at him. This type of man really belonged to the sort of person, which she couldn't stand.  
“If you want to have some fun together, we can gladly exchange numbers. I'll write you as soon as I have time. From then on, you can come by whenever you want,” his voice wrapped her mind. While his mischievous look told her how funny he found the situation, she had the feeling that he even meant it seriously at some parts. She couldn't even really say whether he was going to flirt with her, or if he really wanted to annoy her to the end.  
  
Shocked at her own thoughts, she got back a few more steps.  
“You seem quite interested in my idea.”  
“Just over my dead body,” the words almost left her lips automatically. The redness in her face had long vanished. Instead, she stood, pretty white in her face, with her back pressed against the wall. This guy in front of her was clearly not normal. Something must have gone wrong in his head.  
He, on the other hand, didn't care much about her reaction or even her words. The mocking smile didn't leave his lips.  
“Good night!” She snapped quickly to direct the situation in her direction. She had other problems. She had to take care of a person.  
“Have a good night, too.”  
She scowled past him. Even a farewell sounded like an invitation from his mouth. The way he chattered it formally made her sick. The world would be good for her if she didn't have to cross him again.

 


	7. Exchange

Again and again, she ran up and down in her room. Time went just slowly by and no matter how often she tried to think about something else, she failed clearly.  
The clock didn't even hit eleven at night, which meant she had a lot of time to bridge. Her bad conscience kept her awake so that she couldn't sleep even a little to get at least a clear head.  
Sighing, she remained in one place. If she would walk over to the bar, she could drink something that would make her fall asleep. A highly alcoholic drink. A good plan.  
  
Determined, she opened the door to the corridor and stepped out of her room. The passage was empty, and only the dimmed light, which seemed to be descending from the ceiling, shared the place with her. Shortly, she looked down. It couldn't be wrong to leave at least the Katana back.  
With this thought, she untied the weapon from her waistband and threw it on the sofa. Shortly after, she closed the door to the apartment and walked down the hall. Most people slept already, so she expected as few people as possible at the bar. Added to this was the possibility, that when someone was found at the counter, she might get some information about her goal. So she would hit two birds with one stone.  
  
Again she stopped, while she put her head thoughtfully into the neck. With a little luck, the goal itself was in the bar, which in turn meant, that she would kill it earlier. For example in the elevator.  
Shaking her head, she lowered her head and stared at the red carpet beneath her. A corpse in the elevator meant an uproar that could cancel Williams fight. Only the victim's room remained.  
  
“You just don't seem to be able to forget me. Have you changed your thoughts?”  
The voice that reached her, chased cold sweat down her back. As if in slow motion, she turned her head towards him. He was still sitting with his back to the wall, staring at the corridor that stretched before him.  
“Could it be, that you are stalking people coming out of the elevator?” She shook her head in disbelieve.  
“What do you think? I'm waiting for someone. I could ask you the same.”  
“What?”  
His grin told that he would say something stupid again.  
“Why are you running up and down all day long, always standing before me? Do you want to tell me something?”  
Visually turning her eyes, she turned her away from him. She wouldn't answer and would simply go away from him without letting him know. So she won this round and he wouldn't make fun of her anymore.  
But just as she wanted to get rid of him, another voice sounded.  
  
“Shiba?”  
“Killua, Gon,” she raised a hand, smiling.  
“Do you know each other?”  
Killua's undertone told distrust, which was why she also raised her second hand.  
“Not at all. This guy is just sitting here all day long and bothering humanity.”  
“To be exact, she still thinks about spending the night with me.” She didn't have to look at him to know his stupid face in that moment.  
“Just ignore it. It constantly makes such tasteless things.”  
“It?”  
With a throwing hand movement, she continued her way, scurrying past the two boys with a slight nod. Probably the three knew each other and whatever they wanted to talk about was certainly not on a friendly basis. At least Killuas looked that way. Gon, on the other hand, seemed a bit nervous, while at the same time resolving.  
These guys were clearly unique.  
  
♦♣♦  
  
The bar was a very pretty place. Chandeliers hung from the ceiling, at special distances from each other. Dark wooden tables gave the room an elevated atmosphere, and even  
the men and women, who sat at the counter, weren't nearly comparable to what she had known from the usual drinking places.  
Nobody would provoke a fight in that place so fast.  
  
Looking for a free and, above all, favorable observation place, she looked around. In doing so, she remained attached to a very special person. Confused, she frowned. She didn't want to interfere in his private life, but he clearly relied too much on her abilities. In general, she couldn't say what was going on in his head.  
Why did William sat at a table with three women and amused himself? Why did he feel so relaxed? Was it to attract no attention?  
She rejected the idea. It was clearly not. They were new in the hallway and just because someone wasn't looking into a bar, didn't mean that it raised the suspicion. There were obviously numerous people, who were on the floor. His actions made no sense in her eyes. At least he could have given her a hint, or did she just react over? What was wrong with wanting to relax? Not everyone was like her and was excited about a small assassination attempt.  
Nodding, she turned away from him and went into one of the back corners. On the way, she gave the man behind the counter a sign to mix some kind of drink.  
  
A little more relaxed, she sat down on one of the chairs and watched. Women were scrambling for men who happily told some stories to be interesting. Of course, it didn't matter whether they were true or simply invented. Everything counted to get the fairest of them to bed.  
A smile came over her lips as she looked at the spectacle of the surrounding people. It was funny, but not interesting.  
Sighing, she watched as the man from the counter put a glass on the table. Since Shiba was not a big fan of alcohol, she couldn't tell what it was. She didn't even want to test it.  
  
Tired, she closed her eyes for a moment. It was important that she collected her thoughts before she started a mistake. There was still the question of how to kill Phinar. Or much more, who was that person at all?  
She put her head into her hands, groaning. William had given her the room number, but she couldn't possibly do it like the clown.  
Annoyed, she opened her eyes again, reaching for the glass in front of her and emptying it in one go. In disgust, she wrinkled her nose. The taste was bitter and anything but enjoyable. However, most of the hard stuff was bitter and tasteless. How should she know? She drank only on the worst days of her life and this was one of them. Not because it was a tough job. Rather, because everything in her bothered to make the request of her hunter come true.  
She didn't know why, but even if she didn't want to ask him, she couldn't believe that his decision was the right one.  
  
Once again she let her gaze wander, to find changes. In fact, she was struck by a particularly ugly one.  
This "change", as Shiba lovingly christened it, had just taken a place at the counter and elegantly crossed the legs. The women shoes, with the slight heels, made the legs look even longer than they already were. Irritated, her eyes wandered over the pink-bandaged calves, over to the white pants, up to the upper area. It was pretty hard for her to understand, how to dress like that.  
She let her eyes glide down the object again, along with the pants, to the shoes. It was a little embarrassing, that a man could walk in higher heels than she did. She could be barefoot and was able to break her bones. Thus, there was a danger to her life with such shoes.  
She also noticed that his lower body was slightly inclined in her direction, which made her glance up at his face.  
The "change" had noticed her.  
  
Smiling, he looked at her as he circled a low glass with dark contents around in one hand. She was aware that she had exactly three options. One of them was, that she would go over to him. Another one had him come over to her. Option number three was out of the question. If she got up and ran away, she would lose without even trying.  
  
Sighing, she stood up and walked lightly to him, just to sit beside him on a chair and to stand his playful gaze.  
“So we meet again.”  
He spoke quite normally, even if she could hear that the situation pleased him.  
“If I saw that right, you know Gon and Killua?”  
“Indeed.”  
She was right. The three knew each other, which meant that she would be able to pull her benefits from him. Maybe not at the moment, but certainly in the future. The way he behaved, he made her come to the fact that he probably just came easily at information. Men, like him, always knew best how to approach certain things.  
“Your number,” was the only thing she could squeeze out. Somehow, his presence made the air hard to breathe. Probably it was because she was too close to him.  
“Oh?”  
“Your number. Give me your number. You offered it. Give it to me.”  
“Okay,” he replied, almost mocking her.  
“I can understand if you don't want to give it to me now. I mean, why would you give a stranger your number? But I can tell you why. I'll take advantage of you and after all your stupid comments, you're guilty. You have to help me.”  
“Okay,” his tone remained the same.  
“That means you can't run away and-,” he interrupted her, holding the display of his mobile phone in front of her nose. On it, a series of numbers appeared, which probably represented his number.  
“Okay,” he said one last time, smirking at her, still mockingly.  
  
The fact that he slipped closer to her for this act made her nearly going crazy. She could hardly tap the number because she was so distracted by him.  
“So you take your advantages out of me. What will it be today?”  
His breath touched her ear. He knew exactly how to provoke her.  
Without saying anything, she asked her question.  
“Do you know Phinar?”  
“Indeed.”  
“Explain her appearance!" She tried hard to bring a commanding undertone, but the fact that this man next to her robbed her every sense, completely removed the concept, prevented a success of her project. Of course, this little slip-up didn't escape him, so he lowered his gaze slightly and laid his head in one hand. He didn't let her out of his eyes as he leaned his elbow on the counter.  
“What do I get, when I tell you?”  
“I said it already. It is a compensation for me because I have to take your dumb comments.”  
“You've got my number now.”  
Confused, she looked at him.  
“You offered me your number voluntarily. I just took it from you now. Where is the problem?”  
“I said we can exchange numbers if you feel like sleeping with me.”  
She looked annoyed at him.  
“What do you want?”  
“We just say you owe me something.”  
  
It wasn't the worst thing that could have happened, but she was sure that it wouldn't be very comfortable to be in his debt. Still, she nodded as she finally stored the number on her cell phone.  
Since she didn't know whether it would also cost something to ask for his name, she simply saved him under the name "Trickster". Perhaps she would pick up his real name somewhere.  
The man, on the other hand, took a little distance as he sat upright. He nodded his head slightly in the direction of a woman. She wasn't noticed by Shiba before.  
“This, my love, is the person you're looking for.” With these words, he gave her a quick glance before going back. He had probably had enough from this conversation, so he found his way out of the bar and disappeared.  
Only she remained, finally, with the knowledge of who her goal was.  
  
This was a pretty young woman, who was only a few years older than her. Her slender figure, with the appropriate curves, drew some glances over from some man. The ones, who hadn't caught any women, seemed to take off her clothes with their eyes.  
She was the opponent to face William.  
The woman who should be killed by Shiba.

 


	8. Request

Phinar, the woman sitting on the opposite of her, was not only very self-confident. She let a certain part of her aura out, which kept the men away from her. Shiba wouldn't be able to follow her unseen. This woman seemed to be experienced and even if Shiba didn't want to admit it, she wasn't the best in hiding her presence. Somewhere it always failed.  
She would have to go straight to her, to find an optimal way to kill.  
  
Slowly, she stood up. It had been too early to strike, but it was also the only opportunity she could offer.  
She went to her goal, trying to be as helpless as possible.  
  
“Good evening,” she began.  
Her opposite was merely looking down at her. The long, black hair fell slightly forward.  
“I'm so sorry, that I have to disturb you, but would you help me?”  
“What is it?”  
“I'm not good with alcohol. But I ordered something, which was probably too much for me to handle. I don't even know where my room is.”  
Laughing, her goal slipped down from the chair and gently placed a hand on her head.  
“If you can't handle it, you should keep your fingers away from it. I'll take you to your room.”  
“For real?”  
“Yes, it's not a problem. I wanted to go anyway. The men here are like animals.”  
  
It hurt. She felt something that pierced her in her chest. She was anxious to ask William to take his order back. Phinar was too kind to be killed. If he lost a fight, the world wouldn't stop.  
“Is everything all right?” The woman looked at her compassionately. Her shining, blue eyes looked the same as the sea in all its splendor. The same color, the kind of charisma. Only another story hid behind them.  
“Yes, but the alcohol really does make things hard.”  
She had to put the idea away of sparing her goal. Her partner trusted her, which was the least way to return the trust and not disappoint him.  
“Let's go then.”  
Smiling, she put a hand around Shiba's waist. She wanted to make sure she didn't tip over. It was an easy way so that both could leave the room unseen.  
  
They walked cautiously along the corridor.  
“I think ... I have to puke immediately.” With a moan, Shiba put a hand on her stomach and looked pleadingly at her companion.  
“What is your room number?”  
“I don't know it anymore..”  
Sighing, Phinar shook her head before making a decision.  
“I'm on room Twenty-four. You can rest there, okay? "  
Shiba nodded as she turned away. This woman had been way too nice for her to think of something like stabbing her into the back. With every step she approached the room more, the sense of guilt rose in her. If William asked her to do this again, she was compelled to refuse. In general, the assassination would have been easier if she hadn't known Phinar. The good-natured side of her sacrifice brought her heart to sway.  
  
They stopped in front of a door. Cautiously, Phinar loosened her grip on Shiba and fished the key out of a pocket of her simple dress. At the same time, the white-haired killer reached for one of her guns. She would have been better off if she had had her sword.  
Just as her savior opened the door and turned to her, she attacked. She hit her target with the handle of her weapon on the temple, whereupon the body of her opponent fell unconsciously to the ground. She looked around frantically. Thousands of thoughts crossed her mind.  
She hadn't previously dealt with the subject of cameras, or other security measures. She could only hope that there was no hidden surveillance.  
  
She quickly climbed over the body, into the interior of the room. Roughly she grabbed Phinar by the arms and pulled her so far into the room, that it was possible to close the door.  
She looked around for help.  
It wasn't possible for her to fire a shot. The sound of it would probably awaken half of the building. And even if not, she had not yet discovered anyone who was carrying a gun. If they weren't heard, they would ultimately be suspected. All that remained was a very dirty method.  
She had to kill this woman. Something that she could quickly get behind when she smashed her head. Shortly she looked at her gun. It was clearly hard enough to cause a lot of damage with the handle.  
  
Without giving a sound, she squatted beside Phinar. In her next life, this woman would be luckier. At least she hoped for it.  
  
She took out with her weapon and then, shortly afterward, with all her might, she let it down on the head of her victim. Blood sprinkled against her, even if it wasn't much. It was enough to make her heart beat a bit higher.  
One of her biggest weaknesses.  
The desire to destroy, with the sight of blood, until her body lost the will.  
  
Again and again, she swung the handle of the pistol uncoordinated downwards. She not only hit the sides of the head. She also hit Phinars face, hit her neck, and even though she was sure she had done enough damage, she couldn't stop.  
With every further blow she did, the red liquid multiplied. Dropped from the gun, gathered on the ground. The black hair stuck in some places, while a small blood pool formed under her head. Her features had been slightly deformed thanks to the impacts, which made her face look strange.  
Another blow to the side gave an audible crack. Certainly, she had broken a part of the skull.  
Just before she could load another hit, she stopped. With a hand, she held the wrist of her other one. The pistol firmly in the handle, she imprinted the picture in front of herself exactly into her mind.  
She would see it even more often if she followed Williams orders. There were still so many people on their death list that it would become a habit to clear others.  
  
♦♣♦  
  
Cheering people as far as the eye could reach. They all stared at the lower surface of the room in which the battlefield, with its white floor plates, stood straight out through the lights.  
The crowd waited tensely for the two participants, who were to offer them a good fight. William against Phinar. A fight which was already decided.  
  
Watching, she leaned against one of the entrance walls and watched the spectacle.  
After carrying out her mission, she had disappeared unseen from the room. She had left the woman in all her beauty, surrounded by deep redness. With some luck, one of the servants found her somehow. After thirty days, it was time for her to search again for a fight and if this was not implemented, the workers on this floor had to look after her, probably.  
Shiba had already pulled her butt out of the situation and all that was left was part of the feelings of guilt that accompanied her since the beginning of the mission.  
As soon as the victory of the match was handed over to William, she would snatch him, tell him that she would kill no one anymore, just to win.  
  
“Let us welcome the participants of the match. On the right, we have the newcomer, William!”  
Gas rising instantly on the right side kept the visitors going wild for a moment. A minute later, the soft steps of her partner sounded behind the smoky curtain. William stepped forward, self-confident and focused on the fight, as if he knew nothing.  
Clapping filled the room when they discovered him. Smiling, she leaned her head against the hard wall. She was curious about the moment when they realized they wouldn't get a fight.  
  
“There he is! Then let's let his opponent appear. This is the beautiful Phinar, which already has a stand of three victories and a single defeat. When she wins, she gets closer to her goal. If she loses, it's not a downfall. There's still a lot of air, dear audience!”  
Again, a cloud of gas formed, concealing the view. This time, however, nothing moved. No one made the effort to go out.  
  
Minutes passed until the gas had completely vanished. Still, no one but William was found on the field.  
“As it turns out, Phinar has decided not to fight. What happened? Isn't she interested in newcomers? What a surprise!” With fake astonishment, the presenter pricked the audience to insurrection. They all expressed their disgust, sounded annoyed, and some demanded the cost of the ticket to return. Sighing, she pushed away from her place and turned to the exit. She would pick up her partner on the spot.  
Briefly, she looked over her shoulder. He just stood there without moving even a millimeter. His face was to make a disappointment, but she could see his smile behind this facade. The dominant smile, which he tried to build at her own expense.  
  
♦♣♦  
  
A little bored, she leaned against the wall of the entrance leading to the battlefield. At this point, she was waiting for him, who needed too much time for her taste. Certainly, he was still standing on the spot, trying to be as sad as possible.  
His game was more than just simple and arrogant.  
It was cowardly.  
  
“Shiba?”  
Disinterested, she raised her gaze. William had found his way back silently and looked at her in surprise. As usual, he put on one of his friendly smiles.  
Nodding, she pushed herself off the wall and faced him.  
“You have won your battle.”  
He didn't stop. Rather, he approached her as close as possible, only to take her in his arms. Firmly he pressed her narrow body to himself.  
“William, I-”  
“Thank you.”  
His words made her numb. She couldn't look him in the face so that she couldn't find out whether he was lying or not. To all her surprise, it sounded more than serious, and his evenly beating heart, which she could feel, didn't alter. Helplessly she buried her face in the jacket of his suit and gave herself to the warmth which came from his body. How could such a simple word slice so many of her emotions?  
  
“William.” She didn't want to let go of her thoughts because it was after all her way of feeling.  
“Shiba, I have to ask you one more thing.”  
Gently, he grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her back a bit so she could look him in the eye. Confused, she looked at him. She didn't know what he wanted. The fight was over and they both had a little time to make a new decision.  
“What is?”, she said softly.  
“Do you remember the white-haired boy?”  
“Killua?”  
“Yes. He asked me if I would fight him. We both know how strong he is.”  
“Yes, he is strong. You'll probably lose the fight.”  
He looked at her, shaking his head. His smile had disappeared and a serious look graced his face.  
“Shiba ...”  
She could feel the panic in every single one of her cells.  
“No way. I won't do that!”  
“You're my Support. Isn't it your job to strengthen my back?”  
“Your back, yes. But it is not my job to clean your way. You're still a Hunter! You have to bear responsibility! You have to become stronger and reach your goals yourself, while I make sure that no one falls into your back. This is not a situation that requires..., “ she paused.  
“A situation that does not require support. Shiba, why did you come here with me?”  
“Because I want to stand by your side. This is also part of the Support Hunter. Help and stand alongside the selected partner. These are our wishes.”  
“So you want to stand by my side?”  
She nodded. Her heart was racing as she couldn't guess what he was going to say. To her astonishment, he leaned forward, towards her. When he had reached her ear with his mouth, he spoke the most horrible words she could imagine at that moment.  
  
“Kill Killua.”

 


	9. Sadaso

She just stood there. In the entrance hall, while William passed her by.  
Her head was empty as if she hadn't a single, clear thought.  
The only thing she could think of were the words of her partner.  
"Kill Killua."  
Another order that included the death of a human being. In addition, a person who she knew and actually liked quite well.  
Surely she didn't really know much about him and she had hardly spoken to him, but it was clearly not right to kill someone without a reason.  
  
Uncertainly she turned to her partner, who had almost completely disappeared from the passage. She opened her mouth, wanted to start a new sentence, a new protest, but not a single word came over her lips. There were so many things she wanted to tell him, but none of them wanted to get out of her.  
Was she forced to follow him again? To ignore her own will and follow his stupid desire?  
No matter what perspective she was looking at, she couldn't stay with William forever.  
If she gave herself into her will, he would leave her. She was just a Support, nothing you absolutely needed. If she annoyed him too much, he could simply say that he no longer wanted to work with her.  
But if she gave herself into her wish, a lot of people would die. An act which she couldn't reconcile with her conscience. Especially if there were more children.  
Surely, Killua was a Hunter, but that didn't justify the fact that William should show a little more kindness towards a child.  
  
She could only watch his silhouette walk out of her sight. There was nothing she could have said at that moment.  
More importantly, she had to get her head free. It was impossible for her to make a decision, with all the chaos that was inside her head.  
  
Slowly she began to move. She found her way out of the corridor, back to the floor, where, as usual, almost no one waited.  
Without an idea of what to do, she looked around.  
  
“So we meet again.”  
Her gaze fell on a small group of men. She had already encountered these before when they asked for a fight.  
“What do you want?”  
“You still haven't entered for a fight. Have you already found your interest, or do we need to take other measures?”  
“I can't think of anybody with whom you can raise my interest,” she sighed, her eyes lowered, “It is true, however, that I haven't yet entered for a fight. Since my partner has now passed his first victory, it is the time that I follow his example.”  
“So you are ready to fight one of us?”  
Nodding, she tilted her head.  
“I'll take the one who still has two legs.”  
The selected person emerged with a laugh. His narrow eyes and the extremely pale skin made him look as if his face were made of a mask. The white, garbled hair gave the whole thing a ghostly touch.  
  
In general, he didn't seem like a weakling, but the way he chose his enemies was almost as poor as Williams' wishes. He and his friends were looking for the new ones, hoping that they were the weakest. In doing so, they would most probably weigh up who could help them to go up and who didn't.  
Why they finally decided to go to Shiba was a thing that she didn't understand. She couldn't understand why these men regarded her as so weak. Was it due to the title of a Support, or rather to the fact that she was often found at Williams' side?  
A sigh of relief underlined her confused thoughts. These men had clearly made a mistake and she would show them exactly where it was.  
  
♦♣♦  
  
“My fight will take place next week. So you have a little time.”  
“All right. Will you be watching?”  
“Definitely. I want to know what you can.” The smile on his face pushed her off. Again and again, she had to think of his words when she saw it.  
“Good. The fight begins in fifteen minutes,” she replied, turning away from him, slipping through the door into the hallway. Slowly she went down to her room, where she got hold of her katana. She collected her weapon, leaving her pistols behind. Most of the weapons had been allowed, but she felt it was unfair to shoot with firearms. A blade was enough.  
  
Her next goal was the passage leading to the battlefield. She had never fought in front such a large crowd before, so there was a certain amount of nervousness in her.  
She stood at the point indicated, waiting for the announcement. As soon as her name was mentioned, she was allowed to appear.  
  
“We have a pleasant fight for you today! After yesterday was a break-up for all spectator, we hope this time for a serious encounter! Are you ready for our two participants?”  
She could hear the loud cheers of the audience.  
“Then we call our first participant on the stage. To be exact, a woman! On the right side of the field, we welcome a newcomer in the hallway. An applause for the young Shiba, who is making her first fight here.”  
As soon as she was sure the presenter had finished with the performance, she took the path out. No one had been able to catch a glimpse at her, as the white mist completely blocked the view. Even she had to be careful not to stumble.  
As soon as she had stepped out of the density of the white swell, the cheering became a little louder. At the same time, she felt her heart begin to beat higher. Even if she tried to be self-assured, she was pretty sure that the nervousness would only disappear during the actual fight.  
  
“Now that we have the first person to stand, we should concentrate on her opponent. This is one of three very well-known fighters here! To your left, Sadaso!”  
Again the audience fell into a thunderous applause.  
Her opponent almost ran over the ground plates like a winner. A tiny aspect, which got her a little mad. She would show him as quickly as possible, who was stronger.  
  
A few yards, opposite her, he came to a halt.  
“Are we all ready so far?” While the presenter threw one of her unnecessary questions into the room, the judge already raised his hand and offered the fighters to take their fighting positions. Just a moment later he swung his hand down and opened the fight. Quickly, Shiba put a hand on the handle of her katana and jumped a little back to get space between herself and Sadaso. Since she didn't know what his abilities were, she didn't have much more left than waiting and keeping an eye on him.  
  
Quietly she looked at him, while nothing was changing on her pose. The hand gently positioned on the handle of her sword, she watched him. He, on the other hand, still carried his stupid grin. As he raised his right hand, she was ready to attack, but nothing happened. The fact that his clothes began to move didn't escape her.  
According to her analysis, he seemed to left something out of his Nen first to build up a certain amount of defense. Something that she avoided and used only in the last moments when it came down really hard on her.  
However, what deprived her of her understanding was the fact that the process of his defense lasted too long. Lurking for his first attack, she waited without moving even a meter.  
“You've already lost!” He laughed, while she looked around in confusion. Only when she realized she couldn't move, she realized the situation in which she was.  
Grumbling, she concentrated her Nen on the eyes, to be able to use the ability Gyo.  
  
“You didn't take care that was your fault. Did you really thought you could win against me?”  
To her detriment, she had to realize that her counterpart had her in his hand, and that literally. He used his Nen to replace his missing, left arm. Since she hadn't paid enough attention to his aura, he took the moment of her carelessness and laid his newly created, invisible hand around her small body.  
“And now, say you give up, otherwise this will end less nicely here.”  
She felt his grip tighten. His tactics had been quite simple. If she didn't give up, he would crush her.  
“Give up,” he repeated as he pressed so tightly that it was slowly becoming apparent to the audience that something was wrong.  
  
“What have we here? Shiba doesn't move a bit, while Sadaso advises her to give up. What's going on there? Her body seems to be compressed ?! Has she tapped into the invisible trap of her opponent?”  
Annoyed rolling her eyes, she put her head back in the neck.  
Aura was differed from person to person. Some formed a stronger one than others, and yet there was a rule which should never be overthrown.  
Only in the rarest cases was it indestructible. In addition, he actually thought he had her in his power. Perhaps he didn't doubt his own strength. The male sex was often said that they shouldn't underestimate women because they looked weaker.  
  
“Come on! You will die if you say nothing.”  
“Yes, but before I have a question.”  
Skeptically raising an eyebrow, he looked at her.  
“What is it?”  
“Tell me, how important is your right arm to you?”  
His eyes widened at her question.  
“I don't understand what you want.”  
“Then I assume, not very important.”  
The mistake which he had begun from the beginning was to overlook the fact, that her hand was still resting on her katanas handle. Since she had a certain amount of strength herself, it didn't count as a problem to escape his poor aura.  
Slowly, she turned the blade so far, with a lot of force, in its sleeve that she was able to cut through it.  
In the next second, she cut through the aura of her opponent. In doing so, she strengthened the blade of her katana with a certain amount of Nen, in this way with the known technique called Shu.  
Her motto was quite simple. The sharper her weapon, the higher the probability of cutting through everything that was in the way.  
  
Freed from his claw, she was already running towards him. In order that he couldn't take any counter-attack, she pushed herself off the ground with a certain amount of force. He couldn't even lift his hand before she was already standing in front of him.  
With a clean cut up, she forced him back.  
“Not bad,” he exclaimed as he came to a stand a few steps from her.  
“Unfortunately, I can't give it back. You're not the fastest.” Slowly she put the blade back into the shell, but it was no longer stable enough to hold it. She had cut through the protection of her weapon very unfavorably.  
“Do you think that? The fight is still long -,“ he stuttered, horrified as he lifted up what was left of his right arm. Blood dripped to the ground at a regular basis, leaving a small puddle on the white plates.  
“When..? Where ..? “ As he stared around, she stretched out her right hand. Scared, he turned his gaze to her.  
“Are you looking for this?”  
Almost at the same moment, as she asked her question, the arm of her opponent landed in the palm of her hand. The whole situation brought a smile to her lips, the presenter almost snapping behind her microphone.  
  
“Incredible! It was so fast that my eyes couldn't even pursue it! Sadaso has lost his arm, but it seems as if he has Shiba in his power!”  
He looked disbelievingly back and forth between the arm in her hand and his missing, right limb. It was until he clearly understood, what she had done to him, that he cried out.  
He fell completely helplessly on his knees and gave the audience a nice spectacle.  
“When you're finished with screaming, do you give up?”  
From one moment to the next he was silent. His eyes told her that he didn't understand her actions and seemed to be clearly confused.  
“I ask differently: how important is your left leg to you?”  
“My ... left..leg?”  
“I suppose, not very important, huh?”  
He looked briefly at the arm, which she still held firmly in her hand. The katana in her left was trembling.  
  
She herself sensed how her senses all tended in the same direction. The bleeding piece of flesh between her fingers, her whining opponent. His scream, after he realized that he now had one arm less. All these things were a mixture of music in their ears and pure excitement. If he didn't answer, she would ease him by a few more limbs.  
Sadaso, on the other hand, was silent, looked at the blade in her hand in full panic, and sweated more than he really should. If he didn't soon get an answer, he would die because of dehydration.  
“But unfortunately, I don't want to wait forever,” she whispered softly as she raised her sword again and pointed the top at him.  
By the way, she threw his arm aside and went a little down to her knees. She would repel herself as before and carry out a quick attack.  
  
When he understood his position, he took a deep breath to pronounce the words of his defeat.  
“I give u-,” another cry on his part interrupted him.  
“She's done it again! This woman is faster than a lightning, ladies, and gentlemen!”  
The mass raged, aroused by the words of the commentator. They screamed, cried out how awesome they found her attacks and praised her strength.  
Shiba, on the other hand, looked at her opponent in horror as he rolled back and forth on the ground.  
The only word she could give out was a simple "ups."  
If she had attacked only a second later, her counterpart wouldn't have been confined to one leg.  
  
“I give up! I give up!” Shouting loudly as he crouched helplessly on the ground, he announced his defeat.  
“The victory goes to Shiba! She has emerged victorious from the battle, and thus attains her first point on the way upwards!”  
All the people in the room clapped, cheered even louder than before and screamed excitedly their souls out of the body. She, on the other hand, struggled to reach somebody with her rather quiet voice.  
  
“His limbs are cleanly cut off. With a few specialists, you can sew them back on!”  
  
However, she didn't seem to reach anybody.

 


	10. Questions without answers

Sighing, she walked back, searching for shelter in the entrance to the stage. She had won her fight, had hurt her opponent, and exaggerated it.  
The blade of her Katana gave an annoying, scratching sound as she dragged the metal behind her. Since the shell was broken, she still had to hold it in her hand. However, she lacked the desire to put it on her shoulder, or at least raise it up. She preferred the sound of a slow circular saw instead of continuing to look good in any way, with a weapon.  
Another sigh passed over her lips.  
If Sadaso hadn't been so terribly provocative, she wouldn't have hurt him so badly. In general, she couldn't put into words how sorry she was to have cut him off a leg. Nor could she explain how much she wanted it to be repaired. It was annoying for her to be responsible for the fact, that he could never fight again. He didn't deserve that. Even less she deserved this feeling.  
  
“How exciting.”  
Annoyed, she raised her gaze from the ground, up to a figure leaning calmly against one of the gray walls of the passage. In one hand he held a card, known from the usual games on which a joker was depicted. He held it exactly so, that she could see the picture well. He placed his long fingers on the given surface in a way, that they didn't cover anything essential to the card.  
“How ugly.”  
“Don't you like the arrangement?”  
“If you could cut the background out, the whole thing would be much more handsome.”  
A playful smile graced his lips as he simply made the card disappear as if it had never been there.  
“Better?”  
Shortly she glanced at the Katana in her hand. The feeling that was spreading in her had already been experienced a time before. At last with her last partner, who had turned out to be an idiot. The wish to cut their heads from their shoulders, only to keep them finally quiet.  
  
“What do you want from me?”  
She ignored his question, and instead inquired about his reason to just waiting for her. Perhaps it was the time that he wanted to have his favor to be paid.  
“I thought I'd come over to tell you that they found Phinar during your fight. Unfortunately, they can not determine who is responsible for her tragic death. Tell me, Shiba, do you know something?” His mocking undertone brought her to boil. He actually asked her the obvious. She could just tell from his look that he knew exactly that it was her doing. Surely she tells that he was planning nothing more but pure provocation.  
“What do you want from me? I'm not asking you a third time.”  
“I'm just here to give a small warning to you. You seem to want to move several players out of the field. But remember that even the fastest bishop can always fall on the board. Especially if he puts his fingers on the wrong opponent.”  
She swallowed hard. She didn't know how much information he had about her relationship with William. Nor could she say what he knew about her current mission. Did he say he would make her life hell if she attacked Killua?  
“Then I'll assume that the bishop just needs to watch as he targets his goal,” she replied, slightly trembling. He didn't spread out a particularly murderous aura, but something of him told her that she had to be careful.  
“Do you think so?”  
“If the bishop is fast enough, it will work out.”  
“If he is fast enough, he gets his goal, but he gets his head chopped off in the end anyway.”  
“Then the way must be well thought out. To distract the suspicion.”  
“He can wriggle as he likes. Once a rook has targeted him, he will not get out of his situation, unless he retreats.”  
Thoughtfully, she put the index finger on her chin and looked at him. She was clearly the bishop in this game, while the trickster represented the rook that would kill her if she didn't take care. So far she could follow him.  
  
“If the bishop wants, he can tell the king. If he is attacked, the king simply intervenes and saves him.”  
Smiling, he closed his eyes for a moment as he folded his arms in front of his chest. Shortly after, he looked at her in a way she didn't know how to interpret. On the one hand, she seemed foolish, but on the other hand, she felt that her view was wrong. In his eyes, her thought seemed to lead to a dead end.  
“Why?” She asked, without waiting, hoping for an intelligible answer.  
“Did you know that the king may only move one field per turn?”  
She nodded briefly at his statement.  
“Then look carefully. He jumps from pawn to pawn while he is protected from all other figures in the field. Only the queen has the power to change the game.”  
He pushed away from the wall, walked a few steps toward her.  
“And your task is to distinguish between the king and the queen.”  
  
Confused, she looked at him. If he wanted to refer to the fact that William wouldn't act as she thought, she could follow him. But she didn't understand what he wanted to say when he spoke of the King's features.  
Supposed William was the king, who were the pawn? As the trickster in front of her nose spoke of her own person as a rook, she wasn't an option. He spoke of himself as a rook and didn't even belonged on the same side on which she was walking. Did he speak of Phinar as a queen? Or rather of himself? She knew that it was possible to change any chess piece into another figure as long as it reached the limits of the enemy's side. When he spoke of a change, she herself could be considered a queen. But why should she decide between herself and William?  
But perhaps he didn't speak of William as king. Feelings and desires also played a major role in a set-up. Thus, her intention to find a suitable hunter also came into question as a king.  
  
“May I ask what is going on here?” A man's voice brought her back in place. The redhead still looked down at her, so she leaned a little to the side to see him. Behind him, a rather annoyed man took course towards her.  
“William?” Shiba's voice came out in a whisper, while her opponent took course into her direction.  
“What are you doing with my partner?”  
“I just told her a game of chess.” Again he drew a card out of nowhere, fanning a little air with it before he touched his lips with it.  
“Don't talk to her!” Her partner was way more angry than she had first assumed. She didn't even understand him. The conversation that she had led with this man was nothing special. Was he jealous?  
The fact that he wanted to just protect her was almost too good to be true. Nevertheless, she didn't want to completely reject this idea. She was a young girl, still beginning her twenties. If a shady figure came running, as the man did to her, this could quickly provoke a protector's instinct.  
She was almost happier than she wanted to.  
  
The trickster, on the other hand, didn't even listen to William, or simply ignored him. Almost at the same time as her Hunter complaint, he turned to her again and bent down to her. He didn't bother to come to her ear. It was enough for him to be close enough so that the blonde couldn't hear what he said.  
“If the runner finds the field to play, he often recognizes his position more quickly, with a good glass of the drink that he prefers.”  
  
He straightened a little as he stood back upright and turned completely away from her. With sweeping steps, he passed William, to whom he didn't even pay more attention. Before he disappeared, the blonde stood before her and blocked the view.  
“What did he say?”  
“When?” She replied irritated. He looked a bit panicked, which gave her an unpleasant feeling.  
“Now, just at the moment when you were alone.”  
“He just explained me the fight, in which he explained my moves with a chess game. This included the move I had made against Phinar. "  
“He knows it, then ..”  
Again she just nodded.  
“And then? When he bent down to you? What did he say?”  
She opened her mouth, but she didn't find the right words. She almost couldn't understand her words, which she squeezed out shortly afterward.  
“He just meant that if I'm bored by your possessive nature, I can visit him.”  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
Much too restless, she rolled back and forth in bed. Still, the words of her little lie screeched through her head. She didn't even understand why she had lied to William. It was simply an action that emerged from an impulse. She couldn't help it. Even if it was wrong to lie to an ally, it was also wrong to tell the words of the trickster. In addition, she didn't even know what he wanted from her. His actions, his words, his manner, nothing of all made sense.  
  
A change of position on the right side.  
  
William had believed in her, and even seemed relieved by the lie he conceived as truth. With this settled matter, her idea of his concern fell into the abyss. If he had really cared, his tense side wouldn't have vanished immediately. She might have even come up, as this stranger had tried to get her around. Of course, it was her business, what she did and what was not. But if her hunter had a problem with her talking to this man at all, why was he so quiet? He didn't know her well enough to say she certainly didn't consider spending a night with her enemy.  
  
She turned back to the left side.  
  
But this effort made little sense. If William had something to hide and the clown knew what it was, he would have had to freak out completely. After all, it was clear that if she were spending a night with this man, some information would go their rounds, whether it suited him or not.  
There was, of course, the chance that he hadn't thought so far, and only hung in the zeal of the fight at that moment.  
  
With a moan, she turned onto her stomach.  
  
What did these two idiots think?  
She couldn't remember ever joining a club for poetry and fanfares. She had no idea what this man with the unique storm hair was thinking of when he walked elegantly on his high heels around.  
It was also new to her ever to have concluded a contract for minors, in which the father was given the right to care and to decide with whom his child now spoke, and with whom not. With whom she jumped into bed, however, stood on a different note and as long as she couldn't say anything, everything seemed in order.  
  
Whimpering, she lowered her head in the pillow.  
  
She was a strong, self-confident woman who was old enough to make her own choices. She was also too old for teachers to ran with dictionary's behind her and gave out some funny phrases in specialized Chinese.  
  
A low cry, insulated by the pillow below her, passed through the room.  
  
She would clearly kill both of them if they continued to play such games with her. What was so hard about being honest?  
  
She thought briefly about the last sentence of her enemy. A drink she liked most when she came down from the field.  
She sat up. At first, she would try to decipher the clown's phrases and then ask William. Her intuition couldn't possibly be permanently on alert. If she were asked to drink, she would follow the request.  
  
And where could one drink better than in the bar?

 


	11. True intentions

She walked to the bar. Unsure why, but she wanted to avoid both of the two men. She didn't know what the trickster would do, nor what William was planning.  
In her opinion, it was better if she didn't meet either of them.  
  
Her second visit to the noble room also brought a touch of etiquette with it. Looking, she watched around as she walked slowly to the counter.  
In fact, she saw William sitting in a corner surrounded by tons of women. When she clung to the words of the redhead, it was part of his plan that she met her partner.  
“What can I offer you, young lady?” The bartender followed her gaze, while he asked her the usual question.  
“I'd like simple orange juice. I'm not good with alcohol and I'm sure I'll need my mind today.”  
“Are you looking at the man there in the corner? Most of the women try to get to him. They are simply blinded by his charm and appearance.”  
Thoughtfully, Shiba turned her gaze to the man who was just reaching for a glass and filling it with her order. Shortly after, he smiled back at her, putting the glass on the counter and looked back at William.  
“You should look for something else.”  
“I'm not interested in him this way. Rather, I want to know what he is talking about with these women.”  
“The people on this corridor are really all strange. I have already been told that a young woman will come here to watch a man. I then reserved a place nearby. Everyone knows what the other is doing.”  
  
She put her head aside. Someone had announced her, and if she thought carefully of it, there could have been only one.  
“Could it be a clown, with red hair and an outrageous outfit?”  
“Do you mean the man with whom you have sat here before? No. It was a boy who just came here to tell me. He had white hair like you, and he was very careful to keep an eye on his surroundings.”  
With every word that he added, she got more confused. The trickster seemed to spread his cards across the entire field, including others. If she called the description of the barkeepers to her inner eye, no one but Killua came into her mind. What was told to him?  
“Your seat is back there,” before she could completely sink into her thoughts, the man gestured to her the place that had been reserved for her.  
It was a small table, which could be seen best from the counter. A low wall, adorned with small bushes on the upper surface, separated the table from Williams square. The chair was set up in such a way that the back of her would show to the mass at the table. A corner where there was nothing to complain about.  
  
Nodding, she thanked the bartender, took her glass, and walked to the place where she planned to solve her riddle. Silent, she sat down on the chair and began to listen. In fact, the position she was in was perfect to understand every single word.  
When she looked at her entire situation, she could already solve the first lineup on the chess board. If William was really the king, the women were the pawns in the field, who did everything they could to get the attention of their beloved.  
  
“For real? That is unbelievable!” An irritating female voice penetrated her ear.  
“You're so strong!” Came another.  
Waiting, she took a sip of her juice.  
“There is nothing you can do. Too bad that my first opponent couldn't compete. But if we take it seriously, I would be really glad not to have to waste my strength in the lower floors. I would rather go upstairs and then prove what I can.”  
“Is that woman then by your side?”  
“Which woman?”  
“Well, the one that nearly killed Sadaso.”  
Her interest increased. She wanted to know what he had to say about her strength. How high he would praise her and how proud he was that she was his partner.  
“Ah, she's just a girl I've met on the way here. Not really important. She's just doing one thing or another for me.”  
“So you're not a team? She spends a lot of time by your side.”  
“That's because she just cannot resist me. You must know she is high over heels in love with me, which is why she actually does everything I tell her.”  
“How stupid!”  
  
As the female voices giggled, the glass almost slipped out of her hand. She didn't understand what he said. Neither was she in love with him nor was she "any" girl. She was his support. Nothing more and above all, nothing less.  
  
“Will she accompany you upstairs?”  
“I hope so! Anyone who loses to her doesn't have to hope to win against me.”  
“So you use her as a kind of guard dog, so she does the dirty work? That's pretty nasty.”  
  
Again the women laughed as she heard the clash of glasses behind her. They probably celebrated his safe future.  
If all he said was true, then the trickster was clearly right. The king wouldn't come to the aid of the runner. But if the king was not ready to protect his guards and give them a certain degree of respect, there was no reason to follow him. There was also no reason to continue to follow his orders.  
  
Unsure of what to do, she bit her lower lip. For someone like William, she had killed a lovely woman like Phinar. All the while, she had only one part at his side, which was there to help him up the road.  
If it really turned out to be like it was, she didn't even know how he had lied. But when she remembered his reaction, how nervous he had been when he had seen the clown and her together, there were some things he hid from her.  
She hadn't been a type for great theater. It was the right time to separate from him and simply say that she was not there for playing his games.  
But there were exactly two things that kept her from going.  
He had something against her in his hand. On the other hand, she was firmly convinced that Phinar deserved justice, even if Shiba had made the mistake.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
Again and again, she knocked the cold metal on the wooden floor, so that a steady rhythm filled the room. She had almost solved the riddle that the trickster had given her. With each field more that she could determine, she became aware that it wasn't even a mystery. At least, no mystery that should give her a single answer. Rather, it was the solution to her overall standpoint and perhaps to her next goal.  
Even though she kept asking herself why this man helped her, she also had a theory. He was looking for fun and she seemed to entertain him clearly. Or he did it because she was more or less connected to Killua and Gon.  
  
Steps led her to the door. Probably it had finally been the time.  
A narrow strip of light found its way through the room as the wood of the door slid open. The person who tried to enter the room opened the door only so far that she could slip through. Shortly afterward the wood closed again and the switch for the light in the room was moved.  
He sank a finger in his collar to loosen it a little, while he took off his white jacket. His tired sighing indicated an exhausting day. And it was probably through all the conversations that he led, without thinking.  
  
The astonishment which appeared on his face when he saw her, amused her, however, for a change.  
“Shiba, what are you doing in my room?”  
“I thought I'd give myself a key. We are partners and the woman at the front desk had no big problems with it.”  
“And what is the reason?”  
She pointed with the tip of the Katana across the floor.  
“Don't you want to tell me something?”  
“What do you think?”  
Slowly, she rose from her seat and walked a few steps towards him.  
“I am nothing more than a dog for you to come to the top.”  
Perplexed, he tilted his head before he nervously laughed and scratched the backside.  
“You heard me? That wasn't meant seriously, I just don't want to have a wrong picture with the others.”  
“So is it wrong to say that I am your support? How interesting. Am I not just a step up for you? Tell me how much of what you said was a lie?”  
“Nothing. Believe me, Shiba!”  
Smiling, she raised her sword and led it back into its shell. She had had a new one given at the receiving switch, in order not to have to keep the blade open.  
  
“Do you believe me?”  
“You know, William, only people who are lying ask that you believe them. It is evidence enough that you are unsure how to convince me otherwise. So slowly I understand how this setup works.”  
“Setup?”  
Cautiously, she groped her fingers along her upper leg, until she came to the metal of her firearms.  
“The trickster has given me a riddle and I now start to understand slowly how the items have been distributed. I am the bishop in the field, who must first find the other side to become the lady who protects her king. Actually, I would think that you are the king.”  
Slowly, she pulled one of the guns out of the holder and looked at it more closely.  
“The trickster spoke of himself as a rook. Rooks defend, which is why he may occasionally refer to them. In general, however, he is the knight in the field, which almost always cuts me off.”  
“Shiba I cannot follow you.”  
“The women with whom you were together are the pawns. But why would a king be so concerned with the pawns? Isn't it more like that you are a pawn in the field too, and merely a liar, as far as the King's position is concerned?”  
“That makes no sense! Who do you think is the king in your field? And who plays the rook?”  
She aimed the weapon at him as he panicked every second a little more.  
“I'm not happy to say this, but when I look at my field at the moment, the knight has the greatest chances of becoming a king. I have neither a rook nor a king, but I will find them.”  
  
He kept moving back until he stood with his back to the door.  
“If you've decided so, why are you here? Why don't you just go?”  
“Did you know how liars were dealt with when they had been exposed? Guess why I'm here.”  
“Shiba I-,” he didn't come any further, as the sound of the firing of her weapon drowned him. He merely gasped as the projectile drilled into his thigh.  
“Do you know what you're doing here? I told you how powerful I am!”  
Another shot fell, this time firing at his arm. He was too busy talking to her, instead of avoiding or fighting.  
“Pawns have no power to take them off their stand.”  
“But you think you can be a Queen on the field?”  
“Only, with the right king. I should improve. Pawns, who are held as victims, have no chance of a rise. And you belong to them.”  
“They will hear your shots!”  
“I don't care.”  
  
She was aiming a bit more closely, struggling to suppress her desires. She would have liked to torture him, alive, but she had already fired two shots, which meant that someone would soon see why there was a shooting sound. She lacked time to take him completely apart.  
“Shiba, I can explain it ... give me only the chance ..”  
“Farewell, William.”  
  
One last time she pulled the trigger.  
The time seemed to be holding this moment for a few seconds. She could watch his eyes widen as he wanted to say something.  
Almost in slow motion, the alleged projectile got into his head. Just between his eyes, without squeezing a large amount of blood out from her victim.  
  
Five days. But once again she had lost her hunter.

 


	12. New goal

Significantly, the blood seeped into the, now way darker, wooden floor. The lifeless body of her Hunter sat with his back against the wall, relatively centered in the room.  
After she had shot the last time, he just fell down to his knees. A far too majestic pose for a death, which merely took the life of a deceiver.  
  
Sighing, she looked at the ceiling. Her wish had been to find the ideal Hunter at her side when five days had passed. Shortly before she could meet this goal, she was standing alone again. A Support without a Hunter.  
Perhaps the universe simply wanted to tell her that there was no person in the world who could take such a job. Most of the Hunters were anxious to fight without help. Others were more interested in neglecting their tasks and shifting work to an outsider. Similar to William and the young man before him.  
Shortly she thought of his friendly smile.  
How could such a person be so wrong?  
  
A last look at William made her realize that she still lacked time. She had to go since her situation was pretty dangerous. After all, it was a rule that a Hunter wasn't allowed to target another. It was a rule to avoid death.  
Only those who worked on purpose in criminal activities were more or less free from the rule. However, since she couldn't remember when she fell victim to the dark side of power, she wasn't considered a criminal. At least not so long as no one learned that she had just killed her partner.  
  
Slowly she tapped past William and opened the door a little. There were already a little group of people in the hallway. They stood at a few corners and talked completely in excitement to their neighbors. If she left the room in this moment, she would be caught. So there was nothing left but to follow the old ways to disappear. With this thought, she closed the door silently and turned to the window front. Without great thinking, she pulled her gun and shot at the glass, which then shattered loudly into a thousand small pieces.  
A little nervous, she put the pistol back. Her steps got more careful on the way to the new exit. So far, until she was only a few inches from the abyss.  
She had almost forgotten that the room was on the two-hundredth floor. Although she didn't know how deep it went down, however, this fact was completely irrelevant.  
She could have been on the third floor and the feeling wouldn't change.  
  
An unpleasant feeling of fear spread in her. She didn't want to be caught, but the trembling, which spread into her bones, prevented her from reaching the last inch.  
  
Meanwhile, she could almost hear the voices of the people in the hall almost clearly in the room. Her shot against the screen had lured them closer. She wouldn't escape.  
  
She took her katana. Inspecting, she looked at the blade before she was sure it was working properly. Shortly after, she turned around so that she stood with her back to the broken window. She tried hard to strengthen her blade with her Nen. To create an absolutely unbreakable Shu.  
Only when she was, sure enough, she pushed back one foot after the other until she felt the abyss at her heel. She could feel her heart beating painfully.  
Hoping to ignore the terrible thought of the situation, she closed her eyes, sucked in the air, and held her breath. As soon as she had made her preparations, she dared to jump down the edge.  
  
The wind passed through her hair, her clothes, with the strange feeling of having no ground under her feet, that didn't leave her.  
For this reason, she opened her eyes a little. Scarcely Shiba knew that she was in the free fall, it muted her voice. She couldn't even cry out.  
Panic-struck holding the sword, she tightened her legs. She had to keep enough self-control, so she didn't dare to stop the fall immediately.  
  
With this strange position, she fell for several minutes. Every second slipped past her as a part of her lifespan, which seemed to end dangerous quickly.  
A short look down revealed that she had brought about half the corridors behind her. Another hundred more and she was back on the ground. Whether in one piece or not, that depended on how well her plan worked.  
She was still holding the strengthened blade in her hand, but this time she strides out to ram the tip into the hard metal of the tower as quickly as possible.  
Glad over her katana now cutting the metal in the wall, she released her Shu at once. Her plan worked better than she had hoped.  
  
Her blade was stable but not sharp enough to cut through the wall of the Heavens Arena without help. The consequences of this were worse than expected.  
The katana stopped on the spot as it could no longer cut through the metal. The recoil was so sudden and intense that the handle was torn out of the hand. Without finding a way of salvation, she fell further down, while her weapon simply stuck at the place. The panic that arose, almost made her faint. Hastily, she looked for a way out, but she didn't find anything to hold onto. The fact that she was going to die seemed inevitable. The ground came nearer and deadened her limbs with fear.  
The surcharge would be fatal.  
Compliant she closed her eyes.  
Only the hope that she would die immediately remained intact.  
  
“What are you doing here?! I knew you were kind of dumb, but I never thought you would be that mad! Did you think your plan would work? Are you stupid?”  
As she opened her eyes fearfully a little, somebody yelled at her. A loud voice, coming from a boy, reached her ears.  
“Now open your eyes!”  
On command, she opened her eyelids, almost suffering a heart attack. Five meters separated her from the asphalt. Surprised she looked up. Her body was so numb that she hadn't noticed that someone had grabbed her wrist.  
“Killua?” She was even more surprised at the person who held her and hung on the wall as if it were perfectly normal. The boy's face was lightly lit by the lights of the interiors, which also had a window in their direction. His "free" hand stuck deep in the metal of the tower, thus preventing the fall, or rather the impact.  
“You're really twice as stupid as you look!”  
“How did you know ... that I was just in free fall?”  
“I was expecting it.”  
“How so?”  
“Hisoka gave us a tip because he thought it would be sad if Gon would lose one of his friends that early.”  
  
Sighing, he let go of her hand so that she fell the last meter down to the ground. Elegantly, she came up on her feet, not losing sight of Killua.  
A man, named Hisoka, had given him a tip. Probably also a chess piece of the Trickster.  
But one thing interested her a lot more.  
“Since when am I friends with Gon? We don't even know each other properly.”  
“This guy makes friends quickly. Besides, he found you really nice right away.”  
“And why did you save me then?”  
“Stop asking such stupid questions!”  
Slight redness marked his face, while he looked annoyed in another direction. But the facial expressions he showed in that moment made her laugh.  
“Stop laughing! Better get out of here before they get you.”  
“You are on my side, though I have killed William?”  
“You certainly had your reasons. Besides, if I were not on your side, I wouldn't have saved you. Hisoka has mentioned that you may have acted very stupid.”  
“Who is this Hisoka?”  
Every time she heard his name, she became more curious. What kind of chess piece had he chosen? Who had the Trickster used after it was Killua the first time?  
“Eh?” He looked at her confused "You know him.."  
“Do I?”  
“Have you fallen on your head? You were with him- "His words were interrupted by the loud voices that occurred at the entrance of the arena.  
“You should disappear.”  
“But my katana ..”  
“Buy a new one!”  
  
Although she wasn't very enthusiastic about the fact of leaving her weapon behind, she had no other choice. The crowd moved dangerously fast in her direction.  
“Thank you Killua! Also thanks to Gon and also to Hisoka!”  
With these words, she turned around and disappeared as fast as possible in the shadow of the darkness  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
Her steps echoed through the empty streets of Padokia. Only a few people were still on the streets, the majority of them were busy drinking too much. Something unsure of what to do next, she pushed herself along the walls. She didn't know if they were still looking for her. Only was she aware that she couldn't longer be near the Heavens Arena.  
  
The light, which shone through a door, aroused her attention. It was just another of many restaurants, but the seductive smell of grilled meat inevitably attracted her. As she had made a lot of money in all the battles, it wasn't a crime to eat something.  
That's why she stepped into the interior of the building.  
  
Except for a few men at a table, laughing loudly, she couldn't find somebody else in the spacious room that stretched out before her.  
Behind a bar of light wood, another man was just about to clean glasses. With good conscience, she walked towards him.  
“Excuse me, but would it be possible to get something to eat?”  
Asking he lift an eyebrow, looking up before giving her a hearty smile.  
“Certainly. It is the specialty of the house. Grilled chicken made by the home recipe.”  
Nodding, she agreed with the dish and watched the man slip through a door into the back of the house. A few minutes later he came out again.  
“I ask you for a little patience, my wife immediately gets to work.”  
Smiling Shiba raised her hand and supported her head on it.  
“Would it be possible to ask the one or the other question?”  
“Certainly. How can I help you?”  
“Do you know whether something exciting will happen in this world in the near future? I have no idea at the moment what I could do.”  
Thoughtfully, he turned his gaze to one of the glasses that stood before him.  
“The only thing I remember is an auction.”  
“An auction?”  
“Yes, one of the biggest events ever. Every year, masses of people gather to participate in it. It sells things that you might not find anywhere else.”  
“For real?”  
  
Her interest in an auction was limited. She had once been on one, in a small town, which had left no good experiences. People just offered something like the last idiots. It didn't matter how expensive the whole thing was. The main thing was that they came into possession of this one thing.  
  
“Is there a reason why I should go there?”  
“I'm not sure. I wasn't there yet. But you are supposed to get everything. Games, weapons, rare props, artifacts, and more.”  
On his last words, she pointed her ears slightly. Artifacts meant superhuman abilities. This, in turn, meant that one of these things might have a wish free. There was nothing she could need more than a wish.  
“Is it possible to find out what is offered?”  
“All right. Are you looking for something specific? If you want, I can just look.”  
Shortly he leaned under the counter before he came back with a small laptop. Waiting for her, he placed it in front of himself.  
“I would like to know about all the artifacts that have magical powers that fulfill wishes.”  
“You believe in such myths?”  
“Somewhere deep inside me.”  
  
She watched him as he looked into his device for a few minutes, typed things, and clicked.  
“As I see this, there are three hits that are total to your taste, as well as another thing you may be interested in.”  
“What is it?”  
“To one, you auction the book Katuparan. It is supposed to be a sacred book, filled with infinite spells, to fulfill desires. Then we would have the gold of Aniol. If I understand this correctly, it is a gold frame, which should read every wish from the lips of the wearer.”  
She leaned a little way forward. Both things he had mentioned had been more than interesting. With a book such as the Katuparan, she could fulfill all the things that she couldn't have all the time. With the gold of the Aniol, however, she also secured a lot of good things.  
Unsettled by Shiba's insistence, he also introduced the rest.  
“Finally, we have the amulet of Laki here. A rare piece, which gives its bearer infinite happiness. The happiness can be so great that even the wishes of its bearer come true.”  
  
Joy overpowered her mind. If she could get all three, there was nothing left to lose. She would be more fortunate than she might have deserved.  
Something excited, she inquired about the last part.  
  
“What is it that I could possibly like?”  
“A game. The name is Greed Island.”  
“A game? What am I to do with it?”  
“They say there is a card to be able to perform miracles.”  
Banned she looked at him.  
“Unfortunately, that is all. More is not known.”  
“Nevertheless, thank you for this helpful information. Where do I have to go to get to this auction?”  
“The fun takes place in the city of Yorknew. You can reach this city by air or train.”  
“When is the train going?”  
“At six o'clock in the morning.”  
“And when does the auction begin?”  
“On the first, next month. It still takes a while before the big auctions start. Until then you can go over the markets and acquire other things.”  
Nodding, she followed his explanation before a woman came out of the back door.  
“Food is ready.”

 


	13. Yorknew

Trembling, she pulled her legs closer to her upper body, hoping to gain some warmth. The image of the passing landscape was fixed in her eyes, while she plucked at the collar of her red turtleneck sweater. Though it was supposed to warm her at such an early hour, it seemed little to help. It seemed like a waste of money to have bought him at all.  
Sighing, she lowered her nose in the collar. She wanted to leave Padokia as early as possible after waiting for a few weeks before her new goal opened its doors to her interest. She had spent the time in a hotel, quite remote from Padokia's largest metropolitan areas.  
On the very first day of the month, she took the earliest train she could get, to go to fair. It didn't matter that the rivers were frozen, as cold as it was.  
  
A little bored, she looked to the square opposite. She wanted to visit the new city mainly because of all the artifacts that were in her favor. Finding a new Hunter appeared as a side issue.  
Somehow she had lost her desire to look for someone else. It ended always in the same way. They came, they deceived and they went. In the same scheme, almost all in the same period. In her eyes, it made no sense to look for someone. Life as a Support was the only thing that suited her, but if she didn't find anyone, she would simply go into a new field.  
Discard the Support and become a normal Hunter. Perhaps it wasn't easy to live like this, as she lost fast her interest in things without a company and quickly dropped them, but she was ready to live like that.  
  
She looked back at the pictures of her surroundings, which could only reach her attention blurred. The train was too fast to give her a close look at the exterior.

She couldn't say what she was expecting, but perhaps she found some luck in the artifacts that waited at the auction.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
Buildings as far as the eye could see, much higher and more graceful than in Padokia. At the same time, however, more gray and unfriendly, than in the city in which she was previously. Only the market, which stretched across the streets, made the light on the asphalt seem more inviting.  
  
Banned, Shiba walked past the stalls. No matter where she looked, she always discovered something new, beautiful what she wanted to take with her. Jewelry, cell phones, fabrics, and clothing. This and much more was found between all the people who jumped excitedly from one thing to the next. She couldn't help but get a little nearer to the mass.  
She stopped at a certain corner.  
In addition to a few weapons on the ground, there was also a table, occupied with other different ones, some of which were pretty nicely decorated. She was more interested in the swords. Her Katana was gone, nothing could change that. Why shouldn't she try it with a normal sword?  
  
In short, she let her eyes wander over the handles before she found one that pleased her. It was only a simple holder, with a silver tip, a black handle, and a silver cut to the blade.  
Carefully she drew the sword between all the others. A sheath made sure she couldn't see the blade. She smiled at the piece. Even the protection of this weapon was fairly simple. The introduction of metal, the entire middle part of the fine and, above all, sturdy leather, as well as a tip made of metal. Somehow it worked in its own way and witnessed noble.  
  
“Can I help you, young lady?”  
“That sword. What can you tell me about it?”  
Inspecting, he took the selected sword from her hand and looked at it before he cleared his throat briefly and gave an answer. He didn't even try to brag about it what made her feel like he didn't want to lie to her.  
“The blade has a width of six centimeters at the root, as well as a thickness of about four millimeters. It is one of the swords that have been forged sharply, but in a way that it is still very sturdy. The blade was made of several layers, which almost reminds of a katana.”  
Nodding, she followed his words as he pulled the cutting metal out of its shell. She recognized at first sight that the processing was quite good. Not because she had much of an idea of smiths and their works, rather because it was quite similar to her former weapon. The only difference she recognized seriously was the tip, which Katana usually only had beveled.  
“This good piece is a hundred centimeters long, with eighty-five centimeters blade. For a young woman of your size, this length should be the best.”  
Smiling, he handed her the sword over, but without the cover. His action was to see how the sword was in her hand.  
At first uncertain, she swung it aimlessly. The weight was acceptable, a bit heavier than she was used to, but in a pleasant way. She more firmly reinforced the handle around the leather, the surface it had intended for, and swung it more precisely from top to bottom.  
“Feels good,” she muttered in amazement, not to miss the seller's confident nod.  
“How much does it cost?”  
“About six hundred thousand Jenny.”  
Surprised, she looked at the sword in her hand. It was much cheaper than she had assumed, as she knew it was visibly good workmanship. Probably this part was called the advantage of a market. After all, they were set up to offer things a little cheaper than they were in ordinary shops.  
“I take it.”  
  
Scarcely had she acquired what she wanted so much, she replaced the empty shell at her hip, filled with a new one.  
She felt a bit like a knight from the past, but she couldn't say that disliked it.  
Proudly lifting her head, she continued her way across the market. In a somewhat more open place, on which the view to the street became visible, she saw a whole series of black cars. Their tinted windows prevented the inmates from being identified. Probably, however, they were very important persons, who also thought to participate in the auction. The prices were condemned by such persons to break the limits of the normal.  
  
“I cannot believe that this idiot has jumped off on the last trigger. We need every single one!”  
“I want that over there!”  
“Immediately!”  
Inquiringly, Shiba turned on her own before she saw a young girl, followed by a strong man and a slightly younger, blond boy. Cheerful dancing around in circles, her long skirt unfolded like a white flower.  
“I said I don't care where you get someone from, I need a strong Hu-”  
“I want that, too!”  
“Immediately, Neon!”  
It was inconceivable why this man kept interrupting his cell phone for a little girl that didn't seem particularly special at first sight.  
That's why she walked towards the small group. They probably needed help and she had more than enough time to beat.  
  
“Can I help you in any way?” Kindly she informed herself about the man's problem.  
“Are you a Hunter?”  
“I am ..”  
With a sigh of relief, he put a hand on her shoulder.  
“Better than nothing,” he murmured as he turned a little louder back to the person who seemed to be waiting for an answer on the other side of the line “Forget what I said. I've already found someone.”  
Shortly after these words he hangs up and looked down at her.  
“Would you like to come with us?”  
“Are you sure? We can't just pick up a wild stranger and take her with us!”  
“The situation has changed. We take what we can get.”  
  
It sounded a little nasty how to act as the last, existing possibility. But if she was said to be a little entertained, she didn't object much to this fact.  
Without really giving much of herself, she shrugged, her eyes fixed on the blond. He looked at her with deep black eyes. The mistrust which he opposed to her was more than justified. But she didn't mind, as he put it.  
  
“I don't mind coming. I suppose I'll be informed about everything else.”  
The man's grip on her was tightened a bit, looking fixedly at her.  
“I would be grateful to you.”

 


	14. Lady Nostrade

It was one of the biggest hotels, which was among all the others in Yorknew. But not only this fact was a point for Shiba's astonishment, even the fact that it seemed to be fully occupied awakened her interest.  
No matter where she was looking, men were all dressed in black suits, holding their heads high to show where they were from. It was obvious that not even a quarter of these people came from really noble families. The majority were presumably members of the mafia, of the underground, or of some shady organizations.  
With these parties alone, it became clear that the auction in Yorknew was a festival without rules. No one could care less where you came from, or who you were, as long as you could offer enough money.  
  
Together with the two men and the girl, she walked along the entrance hall, over to one of the elevators. The blonde didn't let her out of his sight for a second, which she ignored with a smile.  
  
They found themselves in a fairly large room, filled with a bed, a table, and a few cupboards. The furniture was simple yet elegant.  
Near the door, Shiba stopped, while the young girl threw herself on the bed and the two men found a position nearby.  
When the elder of them was sure that everyone was where he was supposed to be, he turned to her direction and the air became a lot heavier.  
“As I mentioned at the market before, we need the help of a Hunter right now. The girl you see here is Neon Nostrade. A known Oracle in society. At her request, it is our task to get hold of certain items of the auction. The price doesn't matter. Neon cannot go by herself because it is too dangerous. There is a rumor that an attack on the auction will happen, so we don't want to risk and rather take Neon out of danger.”  
She observed all his words carefully. The task seemed simple. One should enter the action, buy a few things and bring them back to the young girl. A fairly simple mission, if someone thought that there might be an attack. It seemed almost so simple that she didn't even understand why these people were so desperately dependent on Hunter.  
  
“Do you have a license?”  
Without answering, she pulled a card out of the pocket of her shorts to hold it up. They nodded at the sight and turned back to their employer, or whatever the girl Nostrade was trying to represent.  
Of course, Shiba had to admit that her interest had risen a little bit after she had been told that Neon was an oracle. Oracles meant that one could cast a glance into his future. An almost as exciting thing as the desire for the protection of a myth.  
Slowly she sank into her thoughts. If she could ask the girl to take a look into the future, she might get new hope. Was there perhaps still a chance for a Hunter to whom she could give support?  
  
“If I help, what will I get for it?” Maybe she had a plan.  
“A generous payment.”  
“I refuse.”  
The men looked at her, surprised.  
“What can we give you? We really need someone to cover this one post. We are ready to listen to your wishes.”  
“Then it's quite simple. I have two requests. To one, I want a prediction of Lady Nostrade. And secondly, there are a few objects that I want to acquire myself. That is exactly why I would like to have the free time to get these things. I doubt that it is a problem to get other things besides the things Lady Nostrade wants.”  
A short silence passed through the room before she was answered.  
“If it's okay for Neon, then we agree.” Inquired, he turned his gaze to the young girl, who had completely buried her head between the pillows.  
“Neon, are the conditions all right?”  
"What?" She muttered between the white fabric.  
“A prediction from you.”  
“Okay.”  
“ I think we have solved this issue.”  
“Then we do it now, I don't want to deal with it later. After all, there are still so many beautiful things I want to have!”  
  
She reached for a sheet, gave herself a pen and handed the things over to Shiba.  
“Please write down your full name, your birthday, and your blood type.”  
Nodding, she wrote her name, her birthday, and an obvious A on the paper before she gave it back to the girl.  
She looked at the information before she bent over the paper and visibly sank into something. But Shiba didn't want to get to the bottom of the matter. It would perhaps solve the one or the other secret, and this, in turn, would lower the tension.  
So she just watched as Neon inscribed the sheet in perfect melancholy. Line by line she filled the sheet. She wrote something down until four sections appeared perfect. There were four lines per package.  
She stopped, lowered the pen, and looked up. Her eyes had once again filled with life as she waved the paper in her direction with a friendly smile.  
“Thank you.” A small bow of Shiba's side, taking her future.  
  
“If we have clarified this, we can make the final preparations. I'll tell one of the other Hunters. Do you prefer to wear suits or dresses?”  
“I prefer the suit.”  
Not only that a dress was very unfortunate in such situations, it was also possible for someone to look under it and catch a glimpse of her underwear. Something that she definitely didn't want. Suits were much safer.  
“What is your name?” The blonde again interfered after he had been silent for an eternity. She understood his question quite well, as they had no time for a real welcome so far.  
“Shiba Erskine. What can I call you?”  
“Kurapika.”  
“And I am Dalzollene.”  
Smiling, she nodded to both of them. They seemed to be a lot more friendly than the first impression had made. If the other Hunter were about as friendly, she could almost speak of a lucky hit. With some skill, she could join one of them after the task.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
They had taken her to another room, where she was allowed to change. Kurapika, Neon's Blonde Guard, gave her a suit of the right size. She slipped out of her clothes, taking out everything she needed. In general, it was only the note she had received recently, her license and a simple, silver bracelet.  
She put these things on a shelf before pulling the tight, black cloth pants over her legs and the white shirt over her upper body. She held her eyes on the paper. To look at it in this moment was the only option. After all, she didn't know the next time she had the opportunity to take a look at her future.  
  
So she reached for the note and unfolded it to read the words that were intended for her only.  
  
_When the revolt reaches its climax  
__When the full moon in the sky passes  
__Follow the given faces  
__Which sends you back to familiar places  
  
__On the run from eternal loneliness  
__You find a hands holiness  
__Opens a new path pretty close  
__That one however only wisely goes  
  
__Between the gates of two dimensions  
__Community and interest mentions  
__Disagreement knocks at the door of the two  
__Welds the sides together in dew  
  
__In search of the Hunters goal  
__A hunting game forms the whole  
__Both sides confess a weakness  
__To reach the end of bleakness_  
  
Thoughtfully, she flew over the lines. With many of the information, she couldn't do anything. Only she understood that the revolt would take place through the auction. If she had understood the description of the girl's guardian, then a section meant a week. This could only be the auction in the first few lines. But where would she come back? She was the first time in Yorknew, so she just knew the station and a few corners of the market.  
She also understood that one would help her not to suffer in loneliness. So someone offered to act as her Hunter. She only had to keep in the back of her head that she should be careful.  
But after these lines, everything became even more difficult. It had to refer to herself and her new partner, but she couldn't say in what relationship. How did they relate to each other when speaking of two dimensions? Nor did it become clear why she should make a game of hunting. She had never been so attracted to anything that she was pursuing it to a certain point.  
  
She shook the paper, shaking her head. She would see what the lines related. It was only two weeks before the unexplained part was supposed to take form and until then she could just be fixed securely on the first verses.  
One thing she had to say clearly.  
She was very grateful to Lady Neon Nostrade for these words.

 


	15. Riot

It took a few more days in the hotel where they were staying until the auction started.  
In no time, Shiba was given the opportunity to learn about Neons other guards. In addition to two women, there were only men, who knew ho strong they're where. None of them looked as if he could do something with a Support. Although she made every effort to keep an eye on the women, she soon recognized that she was compatible with neither of them.  
  
Baise was a young woman, only two years older than herself. However, she wasn't Shiba's taste. The power she held was quite interesting but offered her no way, side by side to fight with the beauty. Generally, she seemed rather less of the type for close combat.  
  
What remained was Melody, a girl that had fallen victim to the most beautiful part of the world: Music. Although Shiba hadn't asked about her fate, Melody could clearly hear the interest that lived in her heart. Shiba was a woman who mustered compassion for much. As long as she could keep her composure, she felt a stinging inside when she faced cases like this.  
This had suggested Melody to her story.  
The problem, however, was that she was a music, Hunter. Not necessarily something where Shiba could do something. Although she loved music, to hunt a deadly Sonata afterward, seemed beyond her interest.  
  
It was obvious that she wouldn't find her Hunter at this place. In addition, this part was anyway still a few days away. It just was Friday of the first week. With this, the auction and the riot were still to happen.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she looked at the ceiling of the building. She could only hope that no one would destroy the auction when she tried to bid on her own goal. For the rest, she didn't care.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
Together with Baise and a man named Ivlenkov, she was divided into the first round of the auction. While the young woman underlined her charms in a black dress, Shiba herself had a pretty good figure in the suit. In general, the fabric was comfortable to wear, and the fact that she had absolute leg-freeness calmed her down.  
To avoid the nervousness of others, however, she was forced to leave her sword in the hotel. She was confined to her two pistols, which were placed crosswise on the waistband, well hidden by the black jacket. She was little disappointed about it. She had bought a new sword and couldn't use it. Not as if she was very disadvantaged with her guns, it frustrated her only to find no opportunity to test her new weapon.  
  
“Are we ready so far? Dalzollene said that we don't have a money limit as long as we get everything Neon wants.” For a moment, Ivlenkov turned to the two women. They were standing in front of the heavy wooden door, behind which the auction was to held.  
“I'm ready to go.”  
“I guess so too.”  
He opened the door, nodding, and left the two of them to the front.  
  
The interior wasn't really amazing. In fact, it was exactly what was presented at an expensive auction. An endless number of seats, sloping down to the stage. Sparkling chandeliers on the ceilings. Noble carpet floor at her feet.  
The space itself was already filled to the brim. The squares seemed to be all occupied, so that they had no choice but to stand around. The grandstand, which was a few yards down, was empty. A large display had been installed in the background, which probably helped to make an object visible to the rear rows as well.  
  
“What do you all think? How many things the girl wants will be here?” Bored Baise tapped her chin with her fingertip.  
“Didn't you read the plan? There was, in fact, written down what comes today and what doesn't.”  
“I've looked in, but you don't really think I'll remember the whole list.”  
“Are you serious about it?”  
“There are three things that they offer today,” Shiba interrupted her two co-workers, who wanted to start a fight.  
“At least she answers me and doesn't ask any questions.”  
“You wouldn't need to ask if you had read the plan.”  
“Can we just agree that you both shut up?”  
She heard a silent exclamation of protest on both sides, but they actually fell silent. Probably they had noticed how unnecessary their disputes were in this case.  
  
Just a moment later the light of the room was dimmed. With this entry into the auction, the last bit of whispering in the crowd also stopped and all attention was directed to the front.  
Two men walked past the curtains by the side. Both dressed in black suits, with white shirts. It seemed almost boring, as almost everyone was looking the same.  
They stood together at the desk, which had been placed in the middle of the stage. The smaller one of them positioned himself exactly in front of the micro, while the giant took a wide-legged position behind him.  
  
“Welcome to today's auction. Let us skip the formalities and get straight to the main attraction.”  
Again whispers filled the crowd, while the little black-haired guy on the desk slowly raised his hands to cover his ears. Inquiringly she watched the happenings. It all seemed so slow, but it was clear that something was wrong.  
The fingertips of the giant slipped open so that an opening could be found in all ten of them. Seconds later, she found herself bending back behind one of the seats.  
Bullets from Nen flew through the room, killed the guests and Ivlenkov, who fell gasping to the ground. Gladly she would have come to his aid, but Baise found enough time to show her with a head shake that they could do nothing more.  
In any case, she had to remain in motion. With ease, the bullets shot through the seats and often missed Shiba.  
Still, she managed to get through the door unhurt, out into the corridor.  
  
“We must get out of here immediately. There is nothing we can do,” Her partner seemed in absolute panic. Perhaps she had never been so close to death.  
“Who are they at all?” Shiba walked quickly behind her.  
“No idea, but I don't believe that they are friends.”  
“Would have been too beautiful. If I have correctly understood, the big one is an emitter. I really hope honestly that he will not pursue us ..”  
“I hope that too. I'm not a great fighter and you ... I don't even know what you can,” Baise looked at her nervously, smiling.  
“Without my sword, there is no way for me to find a way to counter-defense.”  
“I think you won't need it anymore.”  
Perplex they both stopped. None of them had noticed how another woman, besides them, had entered the corridor. Judging by her appearance, she didn't seem to be on the side of help. The black sweater, the simple jeans, as well as the shoes, didn't look noble enough to point to a willing guest.  
Without a single emotion on her features, she slid the thick glasses on her little nose before Shiba could see an aura behind her. It was enough to break the panic on their sides.  
  
Screaming Baise turned away and ran. Although Shiba tried to grab her arm, she neither reckoned to react too slowly, even with the fact that her opponent was so fast.  
No sooner had her partner ran a few steps, the stranger was already behind her and struck the arm of a vacuum cleaner over her head. She used so much force that she split the head of her victim almost in two. Blood splashed up before Baise fell dead to the ground. A sight that made a heart beat faster.  
Shiba used the time to grab her two pistols. Without hesitation, she fired at the black-haired, but without success. The woman saw the attack coming before she was even targeted and jumped back. The only advantage, which resulted, was the distance, she got in the crossfire.  
  
“To defend oneself isn't the best thing to do.”  
“We will see.”  
Observing the vacuum cleaner, she found out, that it was more than just alive. Although she couldn't tell how far this thing served as a weapon, however, she was evident that it was able to put dangerous blows. She had to find a way to win, or to flee. In the meantime, the other options looked rather small.  
  
Again Shiba turned her guns on her opponent while consolidating her position. She fired as before on the unknown woman, who dodged without any trouble. She was pretty fast, but not fast enough to escape the gaze of Shiba. With luck, she would find an opportunity.  
  
While the woman came rapidly closer to her, she stopped herself firmly on a point. Only when she was close enough, Shiba shot again and backed straight away in time before the arm of the vacuum cleaners caught her. A powerful jump back that refused to be coming to an end. Before she could feel the ground under her feet, the black-haired appeared already in front of her. Fortunately, she had counted on this strategy.  
Knowing that she couldn't avoid the next attack, she raised one of the pistols upward. Shortly she concentrated her Nen.  
"Bullet Blast!" She yelled while firing a shot. It was one of her abilities to fire bullets from Nen. She had a few, but different, options. "Bullet Blast" was one of them.  
  
While the vacuum cleaner girl swung again, Shibas projectile reached the ceiling and exploded there loudly, bringing a certain part of the roof to collapse. This in turn drew the attention from her opponent to the point that exploded and lowered her angle to strike. The attack turned from head to waist which Shiba tried to protect with a lot of Ken. She had almost concentrated her entire aura in this area in order to achieve a good defense. She was aware that the belly, ribs and hips were her most sensitive places, and she generally didn't very liked pain. She rather took this into account, as to lose her head. Neon hadn't told her death before. Thus, she had to find a way out of her situation.  
  
The impact of the vacuum cleaner handle on her ribs elicited her a painful groan. However, to her luck, the defense was strong enough to prevent the breaking of her bones. Thus she flew only several meters through the air, against one of the walls, where she got stuck. Although she couldn't suppress a whimper, she was in the middle of a fight.  
  
As soon as she was with her back ahead flown against the wall, she also raised again her guns, which she still held firmly in her hands.  
"Destructive Rapid!"  
Shots to a hundred times faster than normal found their way out of the barrel of both firearms. A second capability, which was open to her with guns. The only drawback to this technique was the fact that the damage was slight. It was just enough to slow down her opponent a bit.  
She couldn't believe how well it worked out for her as the Nen projectiles actually pierced the narrow body. The woman had been so distracted from the ceiling that she had forgotten Shiba for a moment.  
  
It was clear that the damage turned out only slightly and didn't matter much to her. She only got a little slower, but it was enough to get a better winning chance. Maybe she was even able to score at her own pace.  
She was quite pretty fast and pretty agile. But the fear of making a mistake and to earn an unseen blow, kept her initially from getting too much risk. But she had the time window, which she had now created.  
Still stuck to the wall, she put her feet on the damaged rock stratum. To a certain extent, she let herself down to the knees, falling forward a little. Short taking a deep breath, she put her sight firmly on this woman, who also got her attention back to her.  
With all her strength Shiba pushed off so that the stones behind her broke a little more. Heading straight to the unknown person, at breakneck speed. The woman took first an attack with the vacuum cleaner, but lowered it and stepped back, as Shiba lifted her arms and fired. She was still fast, but slower than before.  
  
At the point of which the enemy had been standing, Shiba maintained. She put a gun back in her waistband, spread her legs a little and took her right hand. No sooner had her counterpart put the first foot on the ground, she hit her fist to the ground so that it broke under the two.  
Dust, ascending from the breaking stone beneath her, stole the view for a moment. Searching, Shiba let her gaze wander in the free fall. The fact that she heard the hissing above her in the last second, was enough to get her life saved. However she had made it, but vacuum cleaner, along with its owner, found themselves at her again. She took out, slammed and transported Shiba with a lot of momentum down. Thereby she also broke the ground of the floor below what extended the fall. Incidentally, something drilled into her shoulder, which she didn't saw, nor could feel what it was.  
  
The serve on the corridor afterward, brought her to spit blood. Breathing heavily, she felt her right shoulder with her fingers. Something pointed out of her flesh, not sure if it was one of her bones. The sight in front of her eyes was blurred, but she recognized what was happening there.  
To the final blow, the woman fell down on her. Shiba just barely managed to roll to the side, bounce back and land a kick. This was solid enough to keep the four-eye distance apart.  
Shortly she looked around. A damaged, non-active shoulder, painful ribs and no chance of victory.  
Baise kept right. There was nothing she could do.  
  
“You stopped me for a long time. Luckily this is over now.”  
Amazingly raising an eyebrow, Shiba looked at her disbelievingly.  
“Blinky, suck her blood, until the last drop!”  
A comical sound came out of the head of the cleaner before a long tongue passed over the edges of the suction opening. Teeth became visible.  
With all it's strength, this thing began to suck. At first, he didn't notice it, but it actually took her blood. It flowed out of her shoulder and all the cuts on her body, flew through the air, into the opening.  
She ran out of time. She glanced over the shoulder briefly. A window.  
Sighing, she raised her left hand, which surprised her opposite.  
“I think you win. However, not with my death. Maybe another time, stranger.”  
She snapped with thumb and middle finger, whereupon “Blinky” gave a stifled sound in the next moment. Needles, red as blood, drifted through the tube and stopped the sucking process.  
It took the stranger out of concept. That was the time for Shiba to turn around and jump out the window. Breaking glass bored into her small body, which she didn't even felt.  
  
The jump took place from the fourth floor, which was why she fell half-way into a hedge below the windows. Coughing, she reached for the narrow object, which paralyzed her right shoulder. If it was one of her bones, it was unlucky at that moment.  
Slowly, as the pain made her wince again and again, she pulled out the thing bit by bit. It was long enough that she could see it, but still was not quite out of her shoulder. This was a fairly blood-stained bar, about as thick as a dipstick. Verifying, after she had also pulled the last bit out of her body, she moved her shoulder a little around. Blood ran down and colored a part of the dirty shirt in a bright red. She could move it, but the blood loss was higher than imagined.  
Almost panting, she forced herself to get up. Her body ached bitterly. Putting the second pistol back, she crept along the sidewalk. She could hear excited screams nearby. Following this, she walked around the corner of the building and could hardly believe her eyes. Several ambulances had arrived at the entrance and seemed to wait for patients.  
She was saved.  
One of these people would surely have mercy on mending her.

 


	16. Messages

The way to bright light, which bothered her eyes even when they were closed, made her turn her head in a different direction.  
Somewhere between the ambulances and all the doctors, she had lost consciousness. It was probably due to the high blood loss. That was as far as she could remember.  
  
Carefully she groped with her fingers along her body. The pain was limited, but she was clearly exhausted. She paused at her shoulder. A bandage concealed the place where she had been perforated. It wasn't very relaxing to think back to the fight, but it was important to go through everything again, especially since she had lost.  
Her opponent hadn't just been strong, she had also had the better advantage. With a sword, Shiba could have offered her far more competition than with the pistols. This woman was not a person who could be touched by a long distance attack.  
  
Even she was the sort of human who turned her back on painful things. In battles, she liked to drive everything in a direction that ran relatively without a scratch. She just couldn't handle this stuff.  
On the other hand, the opposite was the case. Making people pain was fun for her. In doing so she spurred the feeling when she saw blood. It almost reminded her of an intoxication from which it was difficult to get out. Similar to a wild animal. If Baise had found dead in a way that would have been more exciting than being struck by a vacuum cleaner, she might have better cut off in battle. Not much, just a little. For once she found herself in this intoxication, she became more careless. She made decisions that she would never meet with clear minds.  
It reminded her back to the fight with Sadaso. It was a similar condition to which she had fallen in this struggle. She hadn't hurt him, and his style didn't interest her, but when he tried to squash her, it clicked somewhere in her head. Presumably, she owed it to the lack of oxygen, which caused a strange, tingling feeling inside.  
She didn't have an answer.  
However, to stand up against such a woman, she had to put aside her fears. Rather, she had to fall into the intoxication and give everything. Be more careful to gain a victory.  
But how should she do that?  
  
Slowly opening her eyes, she sat up and looked around. She was in a hospital room, while a sister was dripping and screwing at something. She was so absorbed in her work that she didn't even notice Shiba.  
A look from the window told her that it was already beginning to dawn, which probably meant that the second day of the auction had begun. That evening more things would be auctioned. Among them was the one or other specimen in which she was interested.  
  
“Oh, you're awake?! How do you feel?” The nurse, who had given up the dripping, was now on the side of the bed.  
“Okay, I suppose. What did you guys do to me?”  
“The hole in your shoulder had to be treated. Tissues and torn muscle mass had to be sewn. We have closed the hole. The threads are pulled in about two weeks. There will be two small scars left on your skin, but probably not visible.”  
Nodding, she followed the description.  
“In addition ..,” it went even further, to all abundance, “..we have cleaned the small cuttings. They will heal quite quickly as the doctors think. Your ribs are happily not damaged, but it is still a decent bruise. It will hurt and last for a long time until it heals. Otherwise, you have only received a blood donation since you have lost a lot.”  
“Hurt? I don't even feel my side.”  
“This is because you are under the influence of painkillers. But I have just turned them off, so you will soon regain your feeling. Please rest for the next two months.”  
  
Her eyes widened slightly to the statement. She would never rest for two months. Her future promised a chase and action game which she wanted to follow. She could find a Hunter. She would rather take the pain in her body and run for two months whimpering behind her victim.  
  
Another nod to show that she had understood the nurse's words.  
“Where are my things?”  
“They lie over there on the table. The shirt and the jacket were torn, but we were allowed to put a new shirt ready. The jacket ... we couldn't save it, unfortunately. The pants were washed and looked like new. The same applies to the shoes.”  
Surprised, Shiba saw at the woman in front of her.  
“Why so much work? I didn't know that hospitals provide such a service.”  
“Oh, about two hours ago there were two men to whom you seem to belong. They gave us the order, and they also wish you a good recovery.”  
“Sounds good, when can I go?”  
“In about four days. We'd like to keep an eye on you.”  
Sighing, Shiba ran one hand through her white strands.  
“Unfortunately this is not possible. There's someone I need to protect.” With a lowered voice, she looked down at her blanket, “Lady Nostrade needs me ..”  
“You really take your job as a bodyguard seriously ... but do not exaggerate. I'll let the doctor know. Keep out of serious cases.”  
Tiredly smiling, she agreed as she watched the woman step out of the room. Her little act had actually worked, which also meant that neither Kurapika nor Dalzollene had said anything about it that she should recover completely. Sure Neon didn't really need her, but as a pretext to get out of this much too sterile room, it was enough.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
With every step she went up, her mournful groans grew louder. She held onto the railing, but the situation didn't improve. The pain, which had passed through her side, had been a great shock. The doctor had told her once again that the effect of the pain reliever would ease, but they had never mentioned that it would happen so quickly.  
In addition, they had not been given any other drugs.  
  
She went limp on a stalk and went into a crouch. A hunt, a helping hand, excitement, none of it all seemed more captivating than a bed.  
She let go of the railing, went to her knees and crawled on all fours a few more steps. Almost on an intermediate step to the transition to the next hundred, she put her forehead to the ground and remained in her position. She would have liked to fall back, but the thought of falling on the wrong side made her sweat even more.  
  
“Shiba?”  
Exhausted, she raised her head again and looked directly at a pair of black shoes. Shortly after, the person seemed to be kneeling before her.  
“Kurapika?” The voice could only belong to him.  
“What are you doing there?”  
“I walk up the stairs, what does it look like?”  
“Why don't you take the elevator?”  
“I wanted, but three times he was completely overcrowded and I didn't want to wait for the fourth time.”  
The blonde rose before her and went down a few steps to help her on the legs. As soon as she stood up, she grabbed her as gently as possible on the thighs, as well as on the shoulder, to lift her up.  
Silently, she let this act go on. She was more than just grateful to him, for the help.  
  
With her, in his arms, he began to climb the stairs further up. He looked more at her than at the steps.  
“You could have stayed a little longer in the hospital. Your injuries are not quite as simple to take and as you can see, you need a break anyway.”  
“I want to go to the show tonight.”  
He looked at her unhappily.  
“No way!”  
“I must, I also wanted to win something!”  
“You can't go there. The attack is not over yet!”  
“Then come with me and help me.”  
Shaking his head, he looked aside.  
“It doesn't work. While you were at the show with the other two, we followed a tip.”  
“What happened?”  
“Long speech, short meaning. The persons who terrorize the auction are members of the phantom group. The tip we have received has led us to one of him who has left his life in the end. Very likely they will add another. That's why you can't go there. You saw what happened. Baise and Ivlenkov are both dead. You just barely escaped. We can't tolerate more losses.”  
“And what will you do? Are you going to the Mass and snatch them?”  
“I will go to the auction, but not to look for the members of the troop. Rather, I have been commissioned to buy today's things for Neon.”  
He didn't feel happy about this fact, but he couldn't escape his task.  
“Take me with you.”  
“You're insane.”

 


	17. Terror

She held the sword firmly in her hands as she walked beside Kurapika. He looked at her almost every two minutes.  
This time she had not let herself be carried away by a more suitable weapon. If she were attacked again, she would turn her head to her opponent. Even though she was slow and gasped like an old woman on a national marathon.  
Her side pounded terribly but didn't hurt as much as before. This part she had to thank only Dalzollene and Melody. While the man held her with all his strength, the girl had wrapped a bandage around Shiba's ribs. This gave hold, thereby relieving the pain. They had tied them too tightly, but it was better than to crawl to the fair on all fours.  
  
“Shiba ... are you alright? I don't think you have to hold the sword all the time ... it hangs at your side.”  
“I just want to be safe. I tell you, they are coming out of nowhere.”  
She referred back to the stranger, which Baise had on her conscience.  
He shook his head again. They were already standing in front of the entrance of the auction house. The atmosphere seemed tenser than the day before and when they entered the interior, everyone seemed as careless as before.  
“We're parting ways for now. The auction takes place in about two hours. I have to go somewhere else.”  
She had already noticed how he had always starred on his mobile phone.  
“All right. I just sit down somewhere and wait for you.”  
A short smile at his side, before he turned around and disappeared through the rising crowd. She was looking for a seat in one of the corners. Breathing, she crossed her legs and closed her eyes. Fatigue spread as she sank into the dark behind the lids. Kurapika would wake her up when it was time.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
The loud telephone call from a man in front of her tore her out of her sleep. A little disoriented she looked around. Only a few people stopped in the hall. Sighing, she stood up and went over to the man, who was screaming too loudly into his phone.  
  
“Excuse me?” She tapped him on the shoulder, whereupon he turned around. He looked slightly older than Shiba, with his glasses on his nose and the blue suit. His black, short hair stood up in a weird way, giving him a ridiculous appearance.  
“Ha? What do you want, I don't have any ... “ He paused as he saw her “Oh, I'm sorry. How can I help you?”  
Confused, she looked at him. She didn't know how to sort him. The way he behaved was either really stupid, or he was up to something.  
“You are calling very loud. Is there a way that you could be slightly quieter?”  
“I'm sorry, but would it be possible if you could handle it longer?”  
He was up to something. So much stood firm in his statement.  
Shortly, she glanced at the newspaper he was holding. Wedding dresses were depicted in some places, which allowed her skepticism to rise a little more. He didn't look exactly engaged, so she doubted that he really read the page.  
  
“A distraction maneuver?” She muttered uncertainly, turning to him again.  
The man seemed to be caught. His eyes looked tender, his hands trembled. Curiously, she let her eyes glide through the entrance until she arrived at a small group of people. Nobody stared at her as much as Killua and Gon did.  
“What are they doing here?” She whispered, lowering her head behind the paper, which the man still held in his hand.  
“You know Killua and Gon?”  
“More or less. I met them at the Heavens Arena. Besides, Killua saved my life.”  
“An ally!”  
Visibly relieved, he relaxed a little. The boys seemed to be stuck in problems.  
“Is there anything I can do to help?”  
“Not really. We have already set up a plan. The only thing you could do would be to disappear silently Who knows what's happening here.”  
Shortly wasting a thought at her ribs, she agreed. When she took the two boys aside, they were still surrounded by four strangers. This also meant that they probably belonged to the same organization as the woman with the vacuum cleaner. She couldn't fight against this mass.  
  
In spite of all this, she still took the time to look over the guy's shoulder to look at the people around the two children. A young woman with pink hair, dressed in traditional, Japanese clothes. A pretty blonde in costume, with a very conspicuous face. Last but not least, two men. One of them, like a samurai, also carried a Katana with him. She was a little enthusiastic. She would have liked to face him in a sword fight. The other had rather less, striking features. Only the ugly jogging suit burned itself in her memory.  
She would keep that look of each one, and if one day the opportunity arose, she would grab one of them. This one person would be able to give her enough information so she could see the woman who had defeated her.  
Another fight to decide who was probably stronger. When this time came, she was ready to fight to the death. However armed with a sword.  
  
A few steps she backed away before she groaned and turned away. Kurapika had said something about the auction on the fourth floor. The one from which she had just jumped the day before.  
Baffled, not to draw attention, she began to move. She followed a small group of men along a corridor leading them up.  
  
♦ ♠ ♦  
  
What she didn't notice in the fight against the stranger was the fact that there were also seats on the fourth floor. Of course, she didn't miss this opportunity and sat down on one of them.  
The hole in the ceiling, which she had unintentionally broken the day before, hadn't been visible. The workforce had done a very good work in a very short time. Understandable. The auction couldn't afford to put their rich customers at risk.  
  
Bored, she let her legs dangle as she looked around. The men, whom she had previously followed, had likewise been in the habit and seemed visibly nervous. Beside them were found also, other persons. In all, it was a small group of about forty men waiting in the hallway.  
And they became more impatient with every minute. The first auction, for which they were waiting, began in about an hour. There was simply no reason to be nervous. Or did she not notice something obvious?  
  
Almost at the same time, a tremor broke out beneath her feet. Similar to a bomb exploding in the building, small stones trickled from the ceiling and shook the people around them.  
“We ask to keep calm. There are some circumstances in front of the building. However, the guarding posts deal with this problem.”  
Again the building trembled under the pressure of an explosion outside.  
Actually, she would have liked to stand up and look. However, she didn't want to exaggerate and up to now, she could even imagine what was going on. The man before, as well as Gon and Killua, had set up a plan for something. Kurapika had something important to do, which was probably also related to this chaos. What the others did wasn't known to her, but it couldn't be that different. One had to remember that the phantom troupe was behind the attacks when the tip that the bodyguards of Lady Nostrade had received was true.  
  
“I won't sit here idly and dig my own grave.”  
“Give us back our weapons, we will take care of the problem ourselves!”  
“Why does the girl have a sword over there at all?”  
The turmoil in the interior slowly took shape. The men and women rose, roared around, demanded protection. One of them pointed to Shiba. She noticed at that moment that she was the only armed person on the floor. They hadn't taken the weapons since they were registered as security guards. To protect neon, it took these measures, even if she wasn't there.

 

 


	18. A piece of luck

The panic of the crowd rose and fell with every quake. It didn't even take long before a new announcement allowed the room to descend into absolute peace. The news reached out that they had killed the head of the spiders and everything was in perfect order. In the meantime, two older men came along the upper railings of the corridor. Even Shiba had already heard of them.  
The Zoldyck family. People who were born for assassination.  
Obviously, they were responsible for the death of the leader, which greatly pleased the crowd.   
  
She waited another half an hour before a familiar face looked around the corner. Lightened, she lifted her hand to show him that she had been waiting for him. But at the next moment, she lowered her hand again.  
He looked pale, tired, and annoyed. Something seemed to bother him and she couldn't say what it was. Even the way he came to her was strange. His steps were less determined and he held his eyes down.  
He stopped before her.  
  
“Is everything okay?”  
”Have you heard? The head of the phantom troop is dead”, he wasn't very enthusiastic about this fact.  
"Yes. Isn't that good?”  
“The members ... they are all dead, too. Their corpses are scattered around the building. I wonder...”  
“Kurapika?”  
“Nothing. The auction starts in a few minutes. We should get ready.”  
  
She was confused about his reaction. That the spiders were all killed seemed to disturb him. Something about the matter wasn't to his satisfaction. But she didn't know enough about him to say what it was. Asking him was just as little to choose from. He wouldn't tell her. Don't even try.  
There was no way to get this information from him. So there was no way to help him or at least to give some helping words. She was just about to nod, stand up and follow him.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
A space as she had once seen together with Baise and Ivlenkov. The only difference was that there were still free seats, which she and Kurapika both took. On the seats were found small discs with numbers, which served to offer on the individual items. It was important to keep the discs until the end, in order to be able to collect the necessary items later.  
  
Gradually, the room filled with people, all waiting for the start. It was only when the lights were dimmed and the brightest spotlights were directed to the stands, that silence came in. She could hear her heart beating. If the same thing happened again, there was no way to escape.  
Sighing, she tried to think of something else. Their enemies were dead, so was the statement of the ones who had found the bodies.  
Was there any reason to doubt this? Shaking her head, she looked at the blonde at her side, who merely looked thoughtful, sunk in thought. Following his gaze, she directed her eyes to the desk. A young man had found his place behind the wooden table and greeted everyone, starting the auction.  
  
Again and again, things were brought to the front, with their attention hanging on some of them. Among them was a thing Neon had asked for. It was a sight that Shiba herself regarded as simply disgusting.  
Eyes in bright red, wrapped in a large, transparent glass. They were considered a good from the Kurta-Clan. Remnants left of them. After all, it was said that none of them had survived, after a big assassination that long ago happened.  
She could no longer look at this glass of disgust, which was why she turned her head back to Kurapika. He seemed visibly nervous. Sweat ran down his forehead and his hands clenched into fists.  
To follow his reaction, he had to have a special connection to these eyes. Did he have a friend from this clan? Had he seen the destruction of these people?  
But no matter how interested she was, she could not ask.  
  
Instead, she turned back to the auction. She could see out of the corner of her eye as her companion lifted his hand involuntarily and pronounced a bet. He took the place as the highest bidder, which no one could surpass. He won the auction, with an expression on his face, which she couldn't interpret.  
Before she knew anything to mention, he got up and nodded to her only briefly before he set about leaving the room. To follow him seemed senseless. Obviously, he needed time for himself, which she didn't want to deny him.  
  
The next object, which was presented, was the first and last object to be captured. Of all the things she wanted, she had missed one through an attack, and another was acquired at a price that she herself could not muster. Seven hundred million Jenny was all she had. Almost a ridiculous amount for some things that were offered.  
Carefully, she watched the action on the stage.  
“The next item we offer is also an artifact, which should not be underestimated. Here you can see the amulet of the Laki. A rare piece, which gives its bearer infinite happiness. We assume that the owner will be very satisfied with this piece. The bid starts at three hundred million Jenny. “  
Hands raised and the price began to rise until he stopped at eight hundred million. She had no chance to purchase the amulet. She had hoped so much to get a little luck. Depressed, she put a finger to her lips and thought about another way. How much more could she muster when she thought of giving up a little of her pride?  
Quickly she reached for her cell phone. She would ask Kurapika if he could lend her some money.  
Without looking at the screen, she typed her request and sent it off. Fortunately, he answered faster than she had expected.  
He had only answered her with an "Okay." Slightly perplexed, she raised her signboard to offer. It was amazing, of course, that he didn't ask how much money she wanted to borrow.  
“The young woman with the number Thirty offers a hundred million more. Who's going to beat her?”  
A man in the front rows gave another bid. The price went up incessantly. In her mind, Shiba apologized again and again to Kurapika, who would suffer heavy losses.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
Unhappily she took in the cold evening air and stared up into the sky. The mobile phone firmly in one hand, the necklace in the other. It was indeed beautiful and spooked a strange feeling when one looked at it. The look wasn't even really special. Silver leaves merged with the stems of three plants. Tied together by a red diamond, shaped like a tear. The ends of the stems each ran in gold to the head of a rose. Three of them were a total of two, two of which also held a red stone in the form of a tear.  
On the other hand, she was fortunate to have received this object; on the other hand, there were two reasons why she would have preferred to pay herself.  
The one was, she had spent over two billion Jenny on it, which meant she had a little more than half of it as debts, and the other was, she had made this debt with a person you just couldn't do.  
She tightened the handle around her mobile phone, on which the bank connection number of her help was. She was as good as done.  
  
Slowly she started to move back to the hotel where Neon and the others were. She still had to sign out. More or less, she had served her services and just wanted to say goodbye. There were only a few left, but it was worth it. Especially when she wanted to give Melody a call. She should take care of Kurapika. The way he behaved was not to be judged. Melody could hear and soothe the heartbeat of everyone. She knew how to deal with him, so as not to trigger a disaster.  
  
Sighing, she hung the amulet around her neck. She would later thank him for his help. First of all, she had to digest his existence in order to bring something positive over her lips.  
She looked around.  
A silhouette showed up in front of her across the street, disappeared in the next moment, leaving her amazed. No matter how she looked at it, even this shadow looked like him.  
Was there any escape from the mistake that she had already begun?

 


	19. A game

Back at Hotel Beitacle, where the group had found their accommodation, Shiba joined Melody and Neon as well as head of the Nostrade next to Kurapika. The father of the young girl had found himself in the room and laughed happily, while she herself held the vessel with the eyes of the Kurta in her hands.  
A disgusting sight that caused Shiba a shudder over her back.  
  
“You are back. Did the auction go to your favor?”  
Sighing, she reached for the amulet to show it.  
“Let's say, partial.”  
Perplexed, Melody tilted her head. After all, she couldn't know in which problem the white-haired had once again stepped this time.  
Cautiously, she put it back again so that it disappeared inside her neckline. She turned to the blond, who was staring at the vessel in the hands of Neon.  
“Is everything alright?”  
He didn't even respond to her words. Instead, he fixed his eyes on the content in the container, which was uncoordinated, floating around in the liquid.  
“He's been this way since he's back. I think it's due to the spiders. They're dead, aren't they?”  
“Who knows. Why are you so easy to convince?”  
“What do you mean?” Melody's quiet voice was hard to hear, compared to Lady Nostrades chat.  
“The phantom group is said to be so strong, but was so easily extinguished? That can't be serious. They aren't so well known because they are easy to fight. You saw what happened. Baise died and I was in the same situation.”  
Thoughtfully, the girl, her opposite, narrowed her eyes slightly.  
“But as far as I've heard, the Zoldycks have approached the spectacle.”  
“Two of them. I saw them.”  
“This family is incredibly strong. Don't you think they could do it alone?”  
Smiling, Shiba put her head in the neck.  
“Surely they could have done it. But they have only taken care of the boss. The attack outside ended only a few minutes before the end of the biggest fight. Thus, none of the Zoldycks was there to kill the others of the squad. Who was it then? The security team outside was almost completely shot. No one seemed really close to killing one of the members. I wouldn't think of anyone who could have completely extinguished these people.”  
  
It were the last words that made Kurapika look at her.  
“Their dead bodies were found.”  
“Were they?”  
A mute nod was the only answer he gave her.  
“In a world, stifled by the strangest skills, are you so sure that they really were their bodies? Have they checked the bodies? The DNA? Or did they really just said that these bodies look exactly like the members?”  
He shook his head, groaning softly. Her idea didn't seem to convince him.  
“They weren't wrong. The people who investigate such cases are neat. Do not try to turn it any other way. They're dead. That's it.”  
Still depressed, he bowed to Neon before he made his way out. Probably he wanted to catch a little fresh air and get his head free. She would have liked to follow him and would have continued to talk to him. If the phantom group was really something like his life goal, there was no way to cheer him up with other things. But she didn't know how to approach information about this issue. She reached for the mobile phone in her pants pocket but didn't pull it out.  
There was only one person who could instruct her, but the fact that she was now double in his guilt didn't welcome a third request. However, one used to say that all good things were three. Either she would help Kurapika, or take the last favor.  
Both seemed to be quite inappropriate.  
  
“I'll go now, too. I think my job here is done. Tell Dalzollene that I'm gone,” turned to Melody, she said goodbye in a rather flat way.  
“Dalzollene is dead.”  
“Is he?” Disinterested, she turned to the father of the young Oracle.  
“Then the rest will they remain. My job is done here, I'll go.”  
She looked at him, clearly not in his favor. Pearls of sweat ran down his forehead as he opened his mouth but said nothing.  
Just before the door fell into the lock behind her, her eyes met the last time with Melody's. A brief moment, when there was nothing more to say.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
The time elapsed slowly, while she dressed in a black suit, waited for the opening of another auction. The man in Padokia had told her about it. Another item on the list, which could be interesting for her. Greed Island, a game in which you were supposed to play with your own body.  
  
She had no money at her account, nor could she lend any more. Just watching and waiting if there was another chance to get to the good piece was a way.  
Looking around, she kept an eye on her surroundings. Everyone who entered the building appeared richer than his predecessor. Many different types were interested in this game, so it had to be special. Feeling confident that her new piece of jewelry would bring some luck, she looked for someone to ask for information. But everyone seemed so delineated by everyone else that she did not even dare to go to one of them.  
  
“Shiba? You are everywhere!”  
Perplexed, she turned around her own axis before discovering Gon and Killua. Dressed as always, they were in a good mood in front of her.  
“What are you doing here?”  
“We're looking for someone. What about you?”  
She hesitated a moment before she answered. There was no reason to lie.  
“I'm looking for a way to get to Greed Island.”  
“Really?” Gon's loud exclamation made her visibly nervous. It was a little bit embarrassing, while he didn't even care for the crowd in the hall. Shortly, she looked away from him.  
“We also! But we already have more or less one. There is a man here looking for players! You should go to him too. Maybe he's interested in someone like you.”  
“Is there anything I need to do?”  
“We want to go to him and ask. If you want, we'll write you the result so you know what you can do next.” Killua seemed so much quieter than his twisted friend that it almost made her laugh. They were so different and yet they were best friends. At least they looked pretty close together.  
“All right.”  
  
Smiling, she gave him her number. He was the sixth person in her store. A little pleased her this little fact. At first, she had wondered why she had bought a cell phone at all. But now the list was filling. In addition to Killuas number, she now had the trickster, the numbers of the blond and Melody, as well as two more. One of them belonged to Netero, who initially wanted to know how it was living as support. He was the head of the Hunter organization and always a joke. She was quite on good terms with this old man, but she had never spoken much to him. Actually, it was only a single time. He had been the one who dragged her into the interview.  
The other number was a young woman named Cheadle. Shiba had met her during her Hunter exam. Although they were very good with each other at first, their views were far too different. Cheadle was much more interested in justice and logic than Shiba. It was enough to get into a fight. It was an unsightly memory, which gave her a lot to think about.  
  
It happened shortly after the tests. After she was finally a Hunter, she immediately met the young woman. She had visibly changed, since the first meeting, which Shiba found amusing. She knew that Cheadle had also recently reached a new goal. With her intelligence, she had become a member of the zodiacs, under the codename 'dog'. To meet this image, she had more or less changed herself into a kind of dog.  
There were animal ears on her head, a little hidden behind her green hair, and she had something on her nose that made her more a four-legged thing than before. At first glance, it seemed funny, but she could not deny that she was able to change her acquaintance. It was suited for her, if only in a strange way.  
Both of them were quite glad to see each other again after the examinations. But the reunion was not meant to be pure communion and to speak. Rather, the dog kept something in her head, which Shiba herself hadn't seen coming. She could remember how they sat together at the table. Opposite of each other, while the mood was tense. When Cheadle then asked her question, it could only go downhill.  
  
“How about it? Will you be my Support?”  
She would have liked to say something else, but this woman was not a suitable partner.  
“I must refuse, Cheadle.”  
“How so?”  
“You're a virus hunter. You deal with something similar to medicine. I am no one to fit into such a task.”  
Suddenly she leaned forward, a few green strands of her hair falling forward.  
“What do you want to do then?”  
“I want to stand by the side of a Hunter who fights.”  
“Even for evil? You can never know what you're getting into.”  
“If it does not fit, I'll just cut him off and search for a new Hunter.”  
“And if it fits?”  
“Then I'll stay, of course.”  
The answer that Shiba gave her didn't impress her. Cheadle took off her too big glasses and rubbed her eyes.  
“I know you well enough to say you're not going to be very logical.”  
“Logic is your area. I act for feeling.”  
“What if it fits, but he does do evil?”  
In the end, she finally answered. Also a part of the conversation, which Cheadle terribly hated.  
“If I am happy by his side if he is nice to me and when I have fun, I do not care what he does. And when he chooses the destruction of man, I'll stand by his side, and naturally, expect him to listen. After all, this is also an important part.”  
“You would stand up against the people and become a criminal?”  
“Why not?”  
Cheadle jumped up to her opposite, slammed her hands, wrapped in gloves, on the table and raised the tone.  
“You are crazy! Someone like you can be used well here and you just want to follow your desires? Would you do anything as long as you have your 'fun'? I have seen you. During the examination, after all the problems. You couldn't even make friends! Do you really think you can find a Hunter? Look at you. You are strong, but at the same time absolutely cowardly. You run away when it is the best for you because you are afraid to be hurt. For whom do you want to stand in battle when you have a partner? Do you have enough guts to defend him when it matters?”  
Shiba just clicked her tongue with an annoyed look. Cheadle had a point. She was a coward and ran happily away when she was afraid herself. But she also had a different side.  
“You say you've seen me? Then tell me how you come to know that I am so strong!”  
Short silence, before the dog, spoke again.  
“You can't be serious! Do you want to rely on this instinct? Do you think your opponent will always behave deliberately so that it clicks in your head? Yes, you are strong when you get the blood lust. But since you can't call it on command, you are not suitable as a normal Hunter for Support.”  
“You're so simple! But I also have goals in life. Not just you have to decide. Is it wrong when I become a bad person? When I don't run away when I have a partner? As long as I have someone by my side, I will not run away. I have not become a Support to run away. Do you think you can understand that, or is that part of your logic cut off?”  
“Yes, it is! You're just terribly naive. At your age, you should have enough brain to make the right decisions. You're nineteen! If you want to live like this, you will not see your next birthday!”  
  
Shaking her head, Shiba returned to the present. What happened after this statement Cheadles, it was easy to summarize. She had gotten up and gone. There was nothing she could have said. Not that this woman was wrong. Rather, she herself was too stubborn to acknowledge the truth. By this time, she had done quite well.  
She'd survived this job for two years and had not even run away. None of her Hunters had abandoned her.  
She paused.  
William, perhaps. But she wanted to part with him anyway and the way he had made fun of her could not even be forgiven. Her act had not been the orthodox way out of the dilemma, but at least it was justified.

 


	20. Removal and invitation

Dangling her legs, sitting on a bench, she looked up to the sky. Killua had written to her about an hour after the meeting, how the conversation with the man had gone, which was looking for players for Greed Island. To all interested, there was a kind of job interview for Hunter, which should ultimately select, who was allowed to be in the game and who was not. The date had been set the next day, relatively towards noon.  
  
Her interest was quite present, but the fact that she was going alone in a game world was annoying. Surely she could join Gon and Killua, but the two were so close to each other that there was simply no room for her in the group. It made no sense to support one of them.  
She also had to remember that other players were in the performance. Certainly, there were some interesting figures, but to form a team so suddenly with a stranger seemed out of question. The last Hunters had all proved how good such a meeting worked. She would rather go with someone she had known for some time.  
However, there weren't that many.  
The two guys were already a team. Cheadle and she were no longer talking and Netero had surely something to do that was one hundred percent better. Kurapika hadn't been able to fix himself on anything other than the dead phantom troop. Melody should take care of him. They all fell away.  
There remained a single person who she was already twice in debt with. To express the third request seemed almost naughty, but perhaps he had nothing to do and was looking for a little adventure.  
  
With this thought, she reached for her cell phone and selected the Trickster's number. The way he was on it, he would definitely join.  
  
It took a moment for him to pick up. His voice seemed bored, as he spoke to her.  
“I wasn't expecting you to call me twice in such a short time.”  
“And I didn't expect you to sound halfway normal. Something happened?”  
He paused briefly before sighing bored.  
“Let's say that my prey is wearing a collar, which is why I can not play with it...”  
His metaphors were cruel, but she could imagine what he meant. Someone, whom he wanted to fight, couldn't.  
“Maybe you're looking for a new toy. In the meantime, we could get together and do something.” In the end, she raised her voice, as she herself was not quite sure whether her offer was comical.  
“What did you think about?”  
“Greed Island. A game where the players are present. So ... you're in it.”  
“And what am I to do?”  
“I've heard a lot of Hunters were hired to play it. Surely there is someone who can entertain you.”  
“How attentive of you, that you are thinking about me. But I must decline. Somehow I'm not interested in the whole thing.”  
“Come on. I need a partner. Both of us are not necessarily a good team, but maybe it will be fun.”  
“It breaks my heart to refuse your offer, Shiba.” He didn't fail to provoke her, but he kept his disgusting word choose when he seemed to be bored to death. Inwardly, she hoped that he'd just fall down and die from boredom. But the situation remained the same. She wanted to go to Greed Island to get a card. There was no way that she could stand it alone, but together with anyone, and if it was the Trickster, there was hope of a good relationship.  
That's exactly why she didn't think of letting him get rid of her.  
  
“Good, whatever you like, you clown. If you don't want to come with me voluntarily, then I will force you to do so. I warn you. It does not matter to me how I kick your butt into this game. Also, it is natural that we will work together. The fact is, you will not escape me!”  
She heard an interested hum on the other side. His stupid face was manifest in her head. At the same time, she could see the corners of his mouth sliding slowly upwards.  
“You want to force me? How about you start looking for me? To tie me to you, you first have to find out where I am.” She seemed to have lifted his boredom as his tone again took the usual, playful line.  
“Do not worry. I even bring a dog leash!”  
She finished the phone call before he could say anything else. One day she would kill him. With her own hands. Very slowly, with a smile on her lips.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
The loud cursing that swept through the streets came from none other than Shiba herself. Everywhere she had tried to catch some information she failed. She described to various people the striking appearance of her goal. To her disappointment, however, no one knew who he was, nor had anyone seen him.  
She could feel the rage gathering in her. That's why he said she should try to find him. He knew exactly that it wasn't easy to catch him.  
  
Lost in thought, she walked along the sidewalk of a street. The fingertips fixed on the handle of her sword, she stared at the floor. She didn't notice how someone turned a corner, why she ran into him.  
Apologizing, she staggered a few steps backward before she could see the figure before her.  
She couldn't argue that he looked bad, but his dressed-up style made him look funny. The black hair brushed backward, he looked at her with friendly, gray eyes. She didn't miss the cross on his forehead.  
  
“A young woman should not be wandering outside at such a late hour.” The gentle voice that reached her ears caused it to grow quiet in her. The anger she'd felt before seemed like blown away.  
Smiling, she nodded at his words, her eyes hanging from the device in his hand. It was obviously a game console.  
“Looks like someone else was lucky enough to get Greed Island.”  
“You know the game?”  
“Yes. I have previously asked someone to join me in the game. However, I must now find him.”  
“Then I wish you success for the search.” A short smile on his face, before he again started to walk. The dark coat with the white collar following behind him swinging. He was hardly past her when she was forced to stop him again.  
“Excuse me?”  
He turned to look at her.  
“I'd like to ask you if you've seen the man I'm looking for.”  
“What does he look like?”  
“He has red brushed into the air hair. Overall his appearance is similar of that of a clown. Maybe you saw him play around with cards.”  
He came a little nearer to her, his face expressing almost a laugh.  
“I think I can help you. How about you come by to see me tomorrow morning?”  
“Come by?”  
“Ah, of course, I mean it, so I can give you the necessary information. If I am not mistaken, I know the man pretty well you are looking for. Since he will soon be doing a favor for me, I think, I can help you. Were you planning on going to Greed Island with him?”  
“Actually yes.”  
“May I ask why you are so interested in him?”  
Sighing, she put her head in the neck.  
“I'm a Support Hunter. I usually work in a team and he was the only person I could ask.”  
He put a hand on her shoulder.  
“I think you are quite right.”  
His observation confused her. But if this man knew where the Trickster was hiding, she should be all right.  
“How can I help you?”  
“I'll explain that tomorrow. In the first place, rest.” His eyes were on her waist, exactly where she had caught the bruise. It almost seemed as if he knew of her injury, so he asked her to rest.  
A strange feeling when she thought about it. But she didn't ask him any questions. She'd rather see the stupid face of the clown when she faced him. As soon as the man had given out the information she needed, the Trickster was finished. She could see it happen.


	21. Two new names

There was a depressing mood at the door, while the hallways of the hotel seemed to be extinct. Shortly she looked down. She hadn't been able to find anything better than dark shorts, as well as a dark shirt, in the short time she'd been given. She had been so in a hurry, that the Shirt was stuck in a corner of her shorts and otherwise fell rather loosely over her hips. Not as if she was interested in this at this moment. After all, she had thought of her weapons, possibly the only thing that mattered.  
  
A little nervously, she knocked at the door, which she had been standing in front of for a while. The man of the evening before had really written to her and given the time, as well as the address of his lodging. As she slept, he sent the message out, she saw it in the early morning. About an hour before she should be with him. The way to him alone took more than thirty minutes. So she had not had breakfast, looked quite sleepy, and didn't even know what year she was in.  
  
The door in front of her nose gave in, shortly after she had noticed. Before her stood the man, who had called her. Completely dressed in black.  
“Good morning.” Gentle as his voice was, he greeted her.  
“Morning.”  
He walked a little to the side so that she could enter, which she did without any further word. It was a simple hotel room. Only a bed, a table with chairs and two cupboards were to be found. The console stood on the table, already in use.  
“Oh? Is someone already in the game?”  
“Yes, he dived into the interior about an hour ago.”  
Interestingly, she turned to her host, who didn't neglect the smile for a second. He walked past her and took a seat on one of the chairs. With a simple hand movement, he offered her the other. Thankfully, she settled down.  
  
“May I ask what your name is?” Talking calmly, he began a conversation with her. He did not seem to be in a great hurry, which surprised her a little. Even if he looked like a calm person, she didn't think he was acting like that. Most people were the strict opposite of their appearance.  
Her thought got to the trickster. He behaved exactly as he looked.  
“Shiba Erskine. May I return the question?”  
“My name is Chrollo Lucilfer. To get a little closer to the thing, you know me as the leader of the phantom troupe.”  
Surprisingly raising her eyebrows, she looked at him. If he was the leader, then she was right. If she told Kurapika, that there was still an enemy, the possibility would be high to cheer him up.  
“I know what you think. You can ignore the thought. The boy you worked with is the reason why we are both sitting here.”  
“In what way?”  
“It was quite early in the morning when we met each other. He has made sure I can not use my Nen, so I'm looking for someone to take this little curse from me.”  
What had she missed after she'd left?  
“With all respect, when I think about it, how come you trust me so easily? You just tell me how weak you are at the moment. And even if it sounds strange, but I still haven't understood how I can be useful.”  
In her words, he leaned forward to support himself with his elbows on his knees.  
“You said you're a Support Hunter. Besides, you're looking for someone and I know where he is. People like you are not so interested in which side of the field they work, as long as they have a partner. This makes you more trustworthy because you are satisfied as long as I give you the information you need. So you would not fight me. The man you're looking for is in here.” He tapped on the console, not letting Shiba out of sight.  
“He's in there? In Greed Island?”  
“Exactly. He's looking for someone to help me.”  
“That damn ...” She swallowed down the last words. She didn't want to release her anger at this man. Rather, she would make life a hell for the Trickster when she saw him. He had told her quite clearly, that he was not interested. The game was uninteresting to him. Now, however, he was sitting with the butt in exactly this game, probably thinking of her, while he laughed himself in his fists.  
  
“He's waiting for you” He interrupted her murderous thoughts.  
“Conscious or unconscious?”  
“I didn't expect that question.” He sat upright, laughing. Amused at her interest, he folded his hands and put his head back.  
“I would say, he is consciously waiting for someone, but not aware of you. He probably thinks I'm sending him somebody out of the squad. You asked how you can be useful to me, right? I want you to keep an eye on him. I know Hisoka is good enough, to be able to say, that he may be a little Inconsequent. He won't really be looking for help. So help him find a person who can remove Nen under exorcism. I guess you'll get this. We help each other. You get the chance to convince Hisoka of you and I have in the back of my head that next to a few members of the squad, there is still someone who keeps him on the path of his duties.”  
One question mark after another came up to her. She had heard the Name Hisoka quite often now. Killua had dropped him at the time when she had left the Heavens Arena.  
She could follow the part with the exorcist halfway. However, she came across a kind of misunderstanding, when she tried to understand, where the man took the whole confidence in her.  
Was it because she had lost in a fight against one of his troops? Pity? She shook her head. He didn't look as if to pity her.  
  
“As I can see, you're still skeptical. Let's just say I have my reasons. And you should not dodge. Your prophecy had predicted so much, didn't it?”  
“From where...?”  
“You were together with Neon Nostrade. Let's say, my intuition was a firm conviction that we had both followed the sentences of fate.”  
“You get more incredible with every minute.”  
He laughed again, but this time he reached into his trouser pocket. He took out a silver ring with a green stone. Slowly, he leaned over to her and made arrangements to give it to her. That's why she opened both hands and watched as the piece of jewelry fell into her palms.  
“What's this?”  
“It is an accessory that you need for the game. I only have one memory card, but a connection device, so two players can play at the same time. You must excuse me, I don't know about such things.”  
Listening, she pulled the ring over her finger. It found a place at her left ring finger, the only place where he would not disturb her.  
“All right. What now?”  
“You concentrate your Nen on the game console and enter the game. Hisoka should be waiting for you at the starting point.”  
She couldn't avoid the question, which had been in her mind all along.  
“What about the clown I'm looking for?”  
It was the first time that his smile slipped and changed to a rather perplexed expression. He stared at her as if she had asked him the obvious.  
“Chrollo?”  
Although he began to remember his name, he was quite amused by the situation that befell him.  
“Just take the name of Hisoka. You will not need more. As soon as you meet him, you will see why you are so funny.”  
She had no idea what he wanted, but she nodded. Carefully, she raised her hands over the device and concentrated a little. Almost at the same moment, a light shone so brightly that she had to close her eyes.  
As soon as she thought it was over, she opened her eyelids again. Amazed by her surroundings, she looked around. It was different than expected.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
“Welcome to the start menu of Greed Island.”  
Irritated, Shiba looked around until she found a young girl. She stood on a higher surface, behind a strange device, which she could not identify.  
“Following your game data, this is your first visit here, which is why I will explain the game rules and functions.”  
“Okay” She felt the excitement rise in her. Not everyone could claim, that he had ever played a game in which he was represented with his body.  
“The ring on your hand has exactly three functions. In addition to saving your game, you can use it in the game itself to create a book. In this one, you place your cards. Please call the book with the word 'Book'.”  
Hesitantly, Shiba followed the description and spoke the word. Shortly afterward, a big, dark blue book appeared before her. It opened on one side, so she could see the empty card slots.  
“There are a hundred slots that demand compulsory cards. You can not use a card other than the one specified. Which is needed, you see by the number, which is indicated on the respective slot. There are also forty-five slots available for free. You can place any card there. If you get a card, you have a minute to put it in the book. If the time runs out before, the value of the card will change back into the item you previously purchased. There is no longer a way to turn it back. All other cards you have in the book can be used with the word 'Gain'. The book closes when you say 'Book' again.”  
  
Following the explanation, she let the book disappear. Shortly afterward she looked up at the girl.  
“I would like to skip a lot of the game descriptions. Can you summarize the most important things?”  
“As you wish. There are cards, that allow you to steal other cards from players. Cards can not be used outside the game unless you have finished the game. In this case, there is the possibility to take three playing cards into the real life. Each card has a certain number. If it is full, it is no longer possible for anyone to acquire it, except you steal it.”  
So it was possible to bring a card out of the game when you played it. For that one probably had to collect all the cards that had to be collected. With some luck, she would find them.  
  
“What about killing players?”  
An important question, when she thought back to the subject, that a lot of Hunters found themselves inside.  
“If a player is killed within the game, his cards disappear from the book. If you steal the ring of a player and put it on yourself, the game will be overwritten as soon as the book is called. There is no way to get back to the former game data.”  
“Can I leave the game again?”  
“You can get this information in the game for a prize.”  
“Is there a card, that is special in any way?”  
“You can get this information in the game for a prize.”  
“Where does the game begin?”  
“This information can be found in the game-”  
“I've already understood, damn” Interrupted Shiba, crossed her arms in front of her waist. She didn't care about her still painful side, which was why she only groaned with a pain-distorted face.  
  
“If that was all, I would ask you to enter an username.”  
“A username? Are there any rules?”  
“No, you can call yourself as you like, as long as the name does not exist yet.”  
A short grin was found on her face. It was one of the most beautiful parts when you started a new game. A name was created, which remained with others. It had to be as dominating as possible. The people, who played the game, should know exactly who they were with.  
At least it was the case in normal games. Probably it was something different at this place. As you entered the game yourself and did not have to create a character, the majority of them probably took their real names.  
Laughing, she folded her arms in front of her chest. These amateurs could do what they wanted. On the other hand, she would follow the standard of a game and introduce a new name. It was much more fun if nobody knew her real name.  
  
“Okay, then I'll say my username is ...”

 


	22. An unequal team

Doors opened the way to Greed Island. From one moment to the next, the grass was under her ballerina, and the only thing that prevented the sun from shining on her skin, was the blanket above her, held by strong columns in some places. Joyfully, she sucked in the air and looked around. According to Chrollo, someone should wait for her.  
Her eyes wandered from column to column, until they fixated on a figure.  
  
The white pants fell loosely down his legs, ending a little way above his ankles. Instead of bandages, this time there was a free sight at his pale skin, down to the pink shoes. For a change, he wore a crop-top that looked exactly the same as the last, but also shone in white, the badges held in a dark blue. The top, which was under the strange, half-bodied upper part, was also kept in pink. When she saw right, it seemed to be padded. The shape, that ran down his stomach, reminded a little of rings. Rings that also reached a part of his neck. In general, it was the same, strange sight she had seen before. Only brighter and less feminine, which probably would be due to the missing woman shoes.  
She had finally caught him.  
  
Before she went to him, she stroked her hair once. She finally understood Killua, as well as Chrollo. Both were more or less astonished at her question. How could she have thought Hisoka was the name of the Trickster? If there was a way to know the name before, she had clearly failed or overlooked it.  
  
With swift steps, she took the path in his direction. This time she would show him who was the boss. It wasn't forbidden for her to annoy him a little. Even if she owed him a favor and an enormous amount of money, she simply took the freedom to show him who she was.  
She came nearer to him, but he didn't seem to notice her. Bored, he mingled his cards as he leaned his back against one of the columns. He had been waiting for an hour. A small border bonus, which came to her good side.  
  
Before him, she stopped. Without wasting a glance at him, she looked straight at the forest, which stretched out in front of them in the distance. It was not until she heard how he finished mixing the cards, that she put her head so that she could look in his direction.  
With a mocking grin and outstretched chest, she looked at him.  
“I found you,” she joked playfully.  
“And how it looks, you forgot the leash.”  
As soon as her triumphant smile had come, it disappeared. Instead, the corner of her mouth shook a little because she had not expected such an answer.  
“Could it be that you are forgetful?”  
Outraged, she turned completely to him, taking the few steps that separated them from each other, and reaching for the fabric of his upper part. As she drew him down a little, she came up to him a little. Looking stubbornly at her, she hissed a few words little by little, with a painful smile on her face.  
“I thought I'd give you enough freedom to run without a leash. I could show you at any time how much stronger I am!”  
“While you are pulling me down to you so that you can reach me. See it as a metaphor.”  
She didn't know what to say. That's exactly why she let go and put her forehead on his chest.  
“Have you made it your duty now to annoy me?”  
“Why do you think that?”  
  
Again, he began to mix his cards. The sound which arose from it made her sigh. Slowly she stood back upright and watched a little. Perhaps she couldn't annoy him, but at least she could tell him how they would proceed.  
She turned away from him, back toward the forest.  
“So, to get this done. We will look for this Nen Exorcist. By the way, we try to get as many cards as possible. With luck, we get all together and even finish the game. So let's try to get along as best we can. I am from now on your Support and you are my Hunter. So far, all right?” Questioningly she turned to him. Meanwhile, he had arrived at sorting the cards.  
“Are you listening to me at all?”  
“Hm?” He looked up, disinterested. Either he had understood everything, or he had really ignored her. Only these two options made one of her eyes twitch. By all that was dear and holy, if he would maintain this character, the chances were not bad that she would go mad.  
  
“Come on now,” she whispered, groaning, but she noticed quite quickly that he wasn't moving. His cards seemed more interesting than the task they had given him. So she turned back and went back to him. Words wouldn't move him anyway, so she grabbed him roughly and pulled him behind her. It didn't take a minute before she heard a creepy, aroused groan behind her. Immediately, he put his still free hand on her shoulder, exerting a certain amount of pressure.  
“Shiba, don't be so crude, otherwise I'll come before the game starts.”  
Horrified, she looked over her shoulder, at his excited face. She could feel him letting out a part of his aura, which caused a nervous tingling in her.  
“Do me the favor, and stop this disgusting aura of yours.”  
“What are you talking about? The only thing that makes the air between us both crackles is part of my unruly love!”  
“Then take this part and put it back where you got it!” She unwittingly tightened the handle around his arm, which also led him to put more pressure on her shoulder.  
“Oh, Shiba, I said, not so tight. How much do you still want to excite me?” Provocatively, he let her off, and put his hand to his forehead, pressing his hip a little forward. She looked down systematically. Between his legs, a dent had actually formed, which begged for an outlet.  
  
Disgusted, she let him go and jumped a few steps ahead to gain distance.  
“What's wrong with you?”  
“I told you I was sensitive.” Still, in his pose, he replied.  
“You're disgusting, did someone ever tell you that? Kinky! Perverse! Disgusting!”  
“Now don't tell me that such hopeless situations don't turn you on, Shiba?” Playing offended, he turned his head in her direction.  
“Stop asking stupid questions and do something against the monster in your pants!”  
“It will calm down of itself, don't worry. Unless you become even more aggressive. I think then I won't be able to handle myself and -”  
“Hisoka!”  
Playfully laughing, he again took a fairly normal position.  
“That was a joke, calm down.”  
“Do I want to know what part of it is now meant as a joke?”  
“I doubt this ...”  
  
She looked reproachfully at him. He, on the other hand, put a hand on the side and seemed to wait for further orders.  
“Would the Lord than having mercy and move out of his own strength?”  
“For sure. Where do you wanna go?”  
“I would say ... somewhere where you get something like a map so we know where we are. For this, we also need money, so let us watch where we get it. So look ... let's go anywhere and see where we get out.”  
“Okay.”  
To her delight, he actually moved forward. He took a straight course into the forest. Following him, she looked a little around.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
They had almost arrived at the edge of the forest, when a hissing sound came over their heads, drawing the attention of both upwards. A man flew over them at high speed. A few feet behind them, he came to the ground.  
“Book!” While the two were still looking at him in surprise, the stranger called his blue card book. In the next moment, he drew a card which he held up.  
“You have the options. Either give me your things voluntarily, or I'll take them by force.”  
“Are there cards that can hurt other players?” Hisoka asked.  
“I don't know, I got a summary. But as far as I know, they're just for stealing and looking pretty.”  
“Is that so? Didn't you say anything about 'get all the cards?'”  
“So you've listened to me!”  
“Partially.”  
“Don't ignore me! Do you even know what kind of situation you are in?” The man waved the card. Instead of simply using it, he seemed to be hoping that they would voluntarily give him everything they had.  
  
“Get him. I might help if it looks interesting.”  
“What? You're the Hunter, get him!”  
“You wanted the cards.”  
Sighing, she put her fingers on the handle of her sword.  
“At least shut up his mouth before he can do a thing.”  
“I'll try it.”  
“That's enough! Gain! Chrollo Lucilfer!”  
In response to the man's words, Hisoka's book appeared and flipped uncoordinated the pages. While the stranger was waiting for his prey, Shiba had already bridged the distance and stood before him. That she was going to attack him, he had seen and grabbed a new card as soon as possible. Just as he was about to use it, he screamed. Where she was still pulling her sword, Hisoka had thrown one of his playing cards, which drilled deep into the leg of her counterpart.  
It gave her enough time to pull the blade and stop just before his neck.  
“As you can see, we have nothing to give. So you have exactly two options. Either you give us what you have, as well as a map, or your head finds its way from the shoulders.”  
Trembling, his eyes wandered to her, dropping the card in his hand.  
“Take what you want.”


	23. Basic town, starter information

“I think we should go somewhere, where we can get information.”  
“Okay.”  
“Antokiba is marked as a start on this map. Next to another. But I think we are closer to this than the other.”  
“Okay.”  
“I think it's decided. Let's go.”  
“O-”  
“Shut up.”  
  
Sighing, she folds the map, which listed all the cities of the game. Greed Island was much bigger than she had assumed. In addition, one had to reach everything by foot. There was no teleport or anything else that could transport them quickly from place to place, except a few cards. But these, too, were limited, at least in the case of how many were in their possession. Shortly, Shiba glanced at her book. She had received two cards which they could use for transport.  
She had also already looked through the book information and had learned all the necessary information about the cards. One could only use them if he was in the desired town before.  
The cards were so useless at the moment. It was unclear whether stealing was worth it or not.  
Another look reached to Hisoka, who was standing around in the area and was waiting for something to happen. As long as he obediently followed, there was no problem for her to wander around with him.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
An uncomfortable silence passed between the two. The only noise that arose, came from the cards of the Trickster, which he let fly artfully through the air. Shiba herself kept her hands folded behind her back and kept glancing at him.  
  
For a while, one could see a tower of the city. They were almost at the entrance, but the mood between those two simply remained the same. She couldn't deny, that she was quite bored. She would have liked to have a fight against someone, but apart from Hisoka, there was no one who had crossed her path.  
Again she looked at him. This time, however, he seemed to have waited for this moment. To her astonishment, their eyes met, so he gave her a joyful smile. Since he didn't seem to think anything odd in the back of his head, she smiled shortly back before she looked forward again.  
The gate, which stretched before them, seemed graceful in its size and structure. The houses, that were built behind him also impressed her. The light colour of the rock stratum and the soft colours of the roofs gave her a pleasantly quiet feeling. It felt like a break after a long journey without a way out. It wouldn't hurt to stay a few days in this place and generally get informed about the game.  
  
“Where are we going first? Since we borrowed the cards of a fellow player, we have a little money. We could take a room and -”  
“Declined.”  
“What a pity...”  
She moaned annoyed.  
“I'll go to a store and get some info. You go and get rooms in a hotel. Then write me where I have to go.”  
“Okay.”  
Without turning back, he turned away and took another direction. If everything went well, he would really write to her. It would be a first, good step towards teamwork.  
  
Again, she exhaled tired and aimed at a shop, which attracted her attention first.  
Nobody was found on the inside, except the shopkeeper, as it seemed. The man had held his head bored in his hand and flipped through a booklet, not even looking up.  
“Good afternoon,” she approached him.  
“Hello. How can I help you?”  
“I would like some information.”  
He closed the magazine, pushed it aside, and leaned forward.  
“What do you want to know?”  
“I'm looking for a card, but I don't know the name. I heard that it was supposed to perform miracles. But I couldn't get to know the name.” She looked at him, hoping that he knew what she was talking about.  
“A card that performs miracles? There is actually one of them. It offers the miracle of healing. No matter how hard the target is wounded, it can heal everything. Even diseases. As long as the affected person is not dead, the card can restore it all in any case.”  
“Really …,” thoughtfully, she put her hands on the hip. It wasn't the kind of miracle that she had expected. However, having such a card outside of the game could be an advantage for herself. If she was ever in danger, she didn't have to fear.  
“What is the name of this card?”  
“Breath of Archangel.”  
“How can I get it?”  
“At the moment, two of the cards are in use. You can still get one. To get it, you have to exchange all forty cards, that contain spells, in Masadora. If the card is already in full use, you will get a buffer that will turn into the desired card as soon as another has used one of the current cards.”  
“Exchange cards and get a card. All right, I understood that.”  
She went back a few steps before taking a look outside.  
“We're here in Antokiba, aren't we?”  
“Correct.”  
“Can you tell me a little about this city?”  
Taking a deep breath, he folded his arms in front of his chest.  
“To make it short, this is a city of prices that is close to the starting point. Every month, a competition is held, where you can receive diverse cards.”  
“Also the special card?”  
“No.”  
Annoyed the eyes twisting she looked at the ceiling. It wouldn't make sense to participate in a competition if the prices didn't match the things that she wanted.  
“The city of prices ... how about other cities? Do they have such a title?”  
“Of course. Every city is known for something else. I can give you this information, against a pay, on the card.”  
  
She took out the card and placed it on the table before the man. Immediately afterwards she shouted out to her book and pulled one of the cards with which she could pay the amount. With quick movements, he wrote a few words before returning it.  
“Thank you, for the interest.”  
She took the card again and took a quick look before she packed away. Almost at the same time, she felt a vibration in her pocket. It could only be Hisoka.  
  
On the way out she looked at the display. The trickster had found a shelter named Mi Liu. Without answering, she took the device away. The hustle of the people in this city made her digress. Instead of returning to her partner, she could start to help Chrollo and ask a few people for an exorcist.  
She remained a little stunned. When she thought about it, she remembered that the man, from whom she had taken the cards, had called his name. It was incomprehensible why the trickster used Chrollo as a name. Why not Hisoka?  
A smile came over her lips. Probably he was just like her and cost the fun of an username. They had both wrong names.  
This made the game much more interesting.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
“I'm sorry, I haven't seen anyone who would fit this description.” One of the many people that Shiba had asked turned her down. None of the people in the city seemed to know where a Nen Exorcist was hiding.  
Was he a character in the game? Was he a fellow player wasn't in the game at the moment? Or did he stay in another city?  
She didn't know what it was. Nor did she know how to proceed.  
  
Putting her head back, she looked at the dark sky. At some point, the sun had gone down, and only the stars brightened the way a little, along with a few isolated lanterns on the edge of some buildings.  
For the moment, it was better when she went to the hotel and slept, thinking of how to proceed. Perhaps she would get another idea when she relaxed thought about it.  
  
With this goal in mind, she directed to the hotel, which Hisoka had named in his message.  
At the same time, she passed a small street, which gave her the shiver of her life. The light wasn't enough to illuminate the passage, but she still saw it.  
A man who whimpered backwards, on the opposite another person, much taller than his victim. The broad shoulders, hidden under a simple coat. Ears of a dog, which jut out from the head. The far too long fingernails and the fluffy tail, which was provocatively waving back and forth.  
Mercilessly, he tore the head of the man from his shoulders, the blood splashing against the walls as if he was trying to create an abstract painting. Shortly afterwards, the body slumped to the ground and the head of the monster clearly turned in her direction.  
Nervously, she reached for her sword and waited for a reaction. But he went back without a word and disappeared, leaving behind a mess.  
  
What was a creature was that?  
She knew only one race from the history books, which reached halfway to such an appearance. A werewolf? A hybrid of the love of a woman and a dog?


	24. A reason to stay

“Hisoka?”  
He looked at her reluctantly.  
“What exactly is this about?”  
“What do you mean?”  
“What are you doing in this room and why am I here?”  
“Why you're here I can not tell you. Unless you want to sleep. Then you're probably here to sleep.”  
  
She took her sword from the waistband and threw it down. Her partner watched her while he slowly pulled the blanket over his shoulders. To Shiba's displeasure, he had taken a room with two beds instead of two rooms. With this, he forced her to sleep with him in the same room.  
In general, she didn't mind sharing a room with a man. However, he was perverse, and she was not even sure what he was doing when she slept.  
  
“Really, I gave you such a simple task and you do this to me.”  
“You're blaming me?”  
“Do you see anybody else whom I could blame?”  
He looked at her questioningly. His red hair hung a little over his eyes, so he held them half-open. Maybe he was just tired. He was already lying in bed to sleep, hardly responding to her words. This view led her to give in. As it looked, he wouldn't do anything stupid.  
“Forget it …,” she groaned only and went to her bed. It was separated from his by two side tables and a window. She didn't even have to fear a spontaneous attack.  
“Tell me, Hisoka...,” fully in her mind, she turned to him. But he didn't listen to her anymore. His eyes closed and the blanket pulled deep into his face, he was already asleep. Sighing, she took off her clothes and kept only the shirt, which reached all the way to her thighs. Shortly afterwards, she slipped under the blanket and turned off the light.  
She did not come to rest. Her thoughts circled aimlessly. She still had to think of the incident in the alley. Not as if it had been important, but the appearance of the figure had drawn her completely under its spell.  
Were there any creatures on the planet that she didn't know yet?  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
The warmth that enveloped her body made her purr in love. There was nothing she loved more than the warm bed early in the morning. By the way, she liked the feeling of the blanket, which lay heavily on her hip.  
She paused.  
Since when were blankets heavy in only one place?  
  
Slowly, she opened one of her green eyes, looking straight into the Trickster's face. He still seemed to be asleep, as his relaxed features told her. With the closed eyelids, he did not move an inch.  
Nervously opening the second eye, she stared at him. Her heart got louder and faster in every second. The blanket reached only to her chest, which broadened the view.  
Hisoka had been quite an attractive man. She had never doubted this since his colourful appearance had a certain charm. In this case, however, his attractiveness just rose to unreasonable heights.  
  
His hair hung down with his pony half over his eyes. In general, it was shorter than she had assumed. The posterior part of the back region was only half the length of his neck, and the sides fell only to the beginning of the jawbone.  
The face painting, which he otherwise always wore, was missing. Instead, there was an unimpeded view of a truly beautiful face, without any blemishes or embellishments.  
She let her eyes wander down on him. Judging by his position, one of his arms was laying over her waist. From near they were far more muscular than they had already been. His upper body was free, marked by muscles. In all, he was more broadly built than one could find out right away. She seemed even more slender than she was before. Although she had wide hips to offer, even this would disappear completely, if she would stand behind him. She even had the air to dance without anyone seeing her.  
  
Weakly shaking her head, she tried to direct her thoughts back to the essentials. Certainly, she had not slept next to him, which meant that someone wanted to annoy her. Shortly she looked over her shoulder, at the empty bed on the other side. Even the clothes which were lying in front of her didn't escape her eyes.  
She had to edit her thoughts.  
A certain person had clearly slept disorders.  
  
Carefully, she raised her upper body slightly, reaching for his arm, which rested on her. Just as she was about to lift it, he pulled it out of her grasp and put it further up. It happened in seconds, as she was pressed down by the shoulders, and were forced to lie down again. She looked him in the face. His eyes still closed, a cheeky grin got on his lips.  
“Say nothing,” she lowered her voice. In fact, he fulfilled her desire and kept a smile.  
“Good morning,” he breathed softly in her direction.  
“Morning...”  
“You were quite restless the night. Is that why you were looking for company?” Slowly, one of his eyes opened a little. If she hadn't been so stiff, she would have gouged it out. His purring undertone told, that he had collected enough energy to screw up her morning.  
“I must have sleepwalked.”  
“You said something about an evil wolf all the time. Can it be that you play Little Red Riding Hood in your dreams?” He chuckled a little to himself but didn't hit her nerves this time. Instead, she sat up with a jump and looked at him in horror.  
“I almost forgot,” she cried aloud.  
Uncertainly, Hisoka pulled back his arm and brushed a few strands out of his face with one hand.  
“No Problem, if I could help you with your lost identity. Am I the wolf?”  
“Idiot!”  
  
Shortly, she tried to gather herself before turning back to her partner, who was now clearly more awake than before.  
“When I gathered information yesterday, I ran into a werewolf. He killed a man and then disappeared into the night.”  
“Surely he came back to Dracula.”  
“You think so? I am rather …,” with every word she became quieter. She hadn't noticed how he made fun of her. Dracula was certainly not the master behind the case. In addition, it was on a different piece of paper, whether this monster really existed.  
“Sometimes I wonder why I'm talking to you at all. Again and again, you are making fun of me!”  
“Really?”  
“That can't have been your serious thought!”  
“Sorry,” apologizing shrugging his shoulders, he continued to look at her.  
  
Murmuring, she turned away from him. If he had nothing better to do than mock her, she would not tell him anything.  
“And what is so interesting about your wolf?” Moaning, he turned on his back.  
“Maybe he's a werewolf? These beasts are part of a myth which could never be proved. Imagine we grab this monster and prove that these beings exist. We would be rich, famous and would write history in several books. Isn't that really exciting?”  
“You really believe in myths?”  
“I spent a lot of your money on an amulet that promises happiness. What do you think?” She sarcastically replied.  
“I forgot...”  
Short silence broke in, in which she got out of his bed.  
“Will you help me? I don't know where to look for such monsters.”  
“How is it there?” Raising a brow questioningly, he directed his pointing finger to her bed. Perplexed, she turned back and forth between him and the bed.  
“Why there?”  
“In children's books, it is told that monsters always hide under the bed.” Innocently looking away, he didn't see the pillow come, which Shiba throw with full force after him. It landed exactly in his face and caused Hisoka to give out a few stifled noises.  
“How about saying something useful? As if such a monster would fit under my bed! That's not funny!”  
Sighing, he sat up.  
“Well, well. How about the wardrobe behind you?”  
“Hisoka!”  
“I'm only trying-”  
“Just shut up!”  
“I should help, but you tell me to be quiet...”  
“Thou shall be quiet! I give a damn for your help! I check it out alone.”  
  
She could watch his smile disappear and give way to a rather hurt expression. Depressed, he lowered his eyes.  
“H...Hisoka?” Guilty feelings spread in her. Perhaps she had been too mean to him. He had a peculiar way of life. She couldn't hate him for all the stuff he did.  
“I am sorry. I didn't want to be like that. You don't make it easy for me either.”  
“I don't think it works.”  
A stitch in her heart. In fact, he had said exactly what she had expected the least. She didn't know what to say to soothe him. She didn't want to make the relationship break. They were Support and Hunter for just one day.  
“I ... how ... how do you mean that?” Uncertainly, she pulled at her shirt. If she could look at the problem more closely, there might be a way to do something.  
“Very simple, the great detective will go without her partner and have to solve the case.”  
Little by little, all her facial features were washed away. He fooled her. Again.  
“Don't make such a face, Shiba. That was a joke, I-”  
“Kill you...”  
“Hm?”  
“I'll kill you, I'll tell you! Do you know what a damn heart attack I had?”  
He groaned loudly with his head in his neck.  
“A little more.”  
Without hesitation, she walked towards him and reached for the sword, which was laying on the ground. She quickly pulled it out of its shell and sank the blade deeply in the wall next to him.  
At first, he followed the blade stunned with his eyes, then he stared at her slightly reddened at the next moment.  
“It's been a while since I was so excited.”  
“You're done, if you're-,” she didn't continue, as she almost stifled by the pressure that followed. His aura, which found its way out, shook her deeply into her mark. It had been different from the beginning of the game. One could really think he was serious when he said he was going to kill her.  
Playfully he put a finger on her neck and slowly drove over her skin, down to the collarbone.  
“What's happening? You're so quiet all of a sudden.” His dominant smile made her sick. Her body was so shocked that she could no longer move. It was only when he was sure that he had demonstrated to her enough how little she could do to him, that he let her go.  
As soon as the fatal part of him had vanished, she began to tremble. Hisoka was clearly a terrible type of man. He played, dominated and did everything to gain entertainment. It seemed to satisfy him when he could watch his opponents break.  
  
Letting the sword go, she tried to catch herself halfway again. The sweat trickled down her skin as she stood upright. She didn't let him out of her eyes for a second, which was of little interest to him.  
She would have liked to counter it. Unpacked her own aura and forced him to give up. However, this wasn't possible. A truly dangerous aura was only possible for her when she lost it. The uncertain part of her instincts, which Cheadle had then spoken to nothingness.  
  
“I guess you will not help me.” Her voice only made a whisper. She couldn't understand why she still wanted him by her side. He was dangerous and no one would have asked for this action. Shiba, however, wanted him by her side. She didn't want to let go, for there was one thing that formally attached her to him. Something she didn't want to let go of. Not after she'd felt it so clearly.  
“I'll pass.”  
“Is it for boring you?”  
“It's not really something for me.”


	25. A new game

She was sitting on a table, in a cafe, while she kept an eye on the people.  
Actually, she wanted to deal with the case of the werewolf and follow a few clues. But no matter what she did, she didn't get Hisoka out of her head. Usually, she was not a person who was doing analytic, but with him, she was glad of every detail she could find out. If she followed his character, she could roughly estimate what kind of Nen he used.  
  
Hisoka was a man whose character could be classified as fickle. He had more facets than she liked and he knew exactly how to use them. He was playful, both adult and childlike. This he had proved, at the beginning of the game, as well as this morning. However, this was a frequent occurrence when he was bored. He loved to play, which is why he didn't hesitate to annoy her. In general, his main self-was of a rather dominant and definite character.  
Since the Trickster was considered a player, he liked to set up the one or other game himself. He used it to talk in riddles and watch his victims solve them. In doing so, he himself slipped into the action, always with an ace in the sleeve.  
Of course, this didn't mean he hated surprises. Rather, he loved her to an extent of pure excitement. Anyone who could surprise him in his own game was systematically regarded as the most popular toy of all. This it used to be until it was good enough to be something else but entertaining.  
If she grasped it correctly, he was a fan of unforeseen situations, strong fighters and people with a firm will. There was no other way where she could explain the relationship between him and Gon.  
It was easy to understand. Hisoka took what interested him.  
  
If all these things were now part of his confused self, it seemed more likely that he was a Transmuter. She couldn't really be sure about it, as it was an assumption based on character traits, but it was better than nothing.  
And precisely because it was better than no answer, she already recognized that he was considered far more deadly, as for the time being.  
  
She didn't care much about details and felt that action was usually better than eternally long thinking when the situation demanded. She was stubborn, mostly got her will and couldn't wait for long.  
There were cases in which she would certainly run away, but usually only to make another preparation for the next fight.  
In addition, she had too much temper, which at the same time made her easily irritable.  
  
These aspects of her character were attributable to exactly two classes. But there was a difference between them. It was her kindness. It wasn't possible for her to be angry with someone in the long run, and she quickly forgave without hesitation. She was too nice. Hisoka could deceive, exploit, even try to kill her. She would forgive him because she believed in the good in him.  
So it was with William. She was pissed at first, but would certainly have forgiven him. Only the advantage that she had killed him before helped out of the devil's circle.  
The Trickster, on the other hand, was no one to kill. He was stronger than Shiba, smarter and more skilled. Unlike William, he didn't pose with his strength. His dominance was justified, as his aura had proved.  
Was she thus obliged to walk forever in his shadow for her own protection?  
  
“Did Little Red Riding Hood find her evil wolf, or at least find out something?”  
Perplexed, she looked up at Hisoka. She was so engrossed in her thoughts that she didn't notice how the clown had taken the place in front of her.  
Dressed, as usual, he looked at her smiling.  
“I didn't think about that yet.”  
“Really?”  
She couldn't ignore the fact that he really had the ability to be serious. If she was lucky, he was indeed in the mood to discuss a topic. Not for very long, but after all a little.  
“Do you think of me?” His purring undertone left her cold. Rather, she kept an eye on him as she watched him intently.  
  
There were people who fit well and, in turn, others that were best kept apart. Hisoka was poison in her eyes.  
Nevertheless, it was a fact that she was extremely compatible with him since she was an Emitter. Precisely because they were so different, they completed each other in a strange way.  
The only problem was that he couldn't be tied to her. If he appreciated someone in a moment, it could happen that he killed this person in the next second because the game bored him. If she couldn't entertain him, he would get rid of her.  
It was so simple.  
  
“Perhaps,” she replied gruffly.  
“Oh? According to your expression, you try to make a picture of me.” He leaned forward a little to look at her more closely with his mischievous gaze. “You are right in the assumption that I am a Transmuter. Isn't it interesting how well we match? I first thought you were an Enhancer, but your way of forgiving me betrayed you.”  
Just one of her eyelids twitched briefly. He had not just played with her, he was trying to find something out. He wanted to make sure she was an Enhancer or an Emitter. Since he was quite clever, she was no longer surprised that he knew what she was thinking.  
“Then I am reassured that my conclusion has been right.”  
“You've been busy. I wonder how this game between us will turn out. How long can you still entertain me, even surprise me?” He pulled out one of his cards, pulled a second one behind it and behind this one two more.  
“You've solved a riddle, put the second one just behind you, and set up two more.” He folded the cards back together, turned them to himself, then back to Shiba. From a spade three, a joker had emerged.  
“Can you solve them before you draw the wrong card?”  
  
He did it again. He played with her, like in Padokia. The first puzzle in chess had been solved. The second was the situation just now. Two new ones appeared. They simply consisted of the questions: 'How long can it still entertain him?' and 'In which position did she stand exactly at this moment?'  
“Hisoka, tell me, what is the joker for you?”  
“The card with the most surprises. Flexible as it serves as a gap filler, charming as no one sees it. Don't you think so?”  
Sighing, she leaned forward and folded her hands in front of her face. Her gaze more intense as she now had an advantage.  
“This statement has proved that I can win this game. A gap filler? That's all?”  
“It is a card which betrays misery.”  
“And that will be your downfall.”  
  
She sensed how it began to tingle in her. For the first time, she had the feeling that she had the upper hand against him. He was able to speak the truth even if his character was considered to be swaying and dishonest. He needed this bit of truth to build a new game, marked by lies.  
A game that would hurt him.  
  
She watched him as the angles of his mouth reached up more and more. It aroused his hunting pleasure. She also understood this part of her prophecy. A game in which she had to catch the Trickster to own him. A task, an assignment.  
His eyes glittered as he leaned back, not taking her out of sight. The nerves around his field of vision began to twitch.  
He had noticed that it was no longer a game of dog and cat. Rather, they both faced each other as killers, with the aim of achieving the best result.  
Shiba would never let him escape. Not in this second, not after that.  
Her eyes fell on his lips, which slowly formed to give his breath a sound. Words that gave the starting shot. She wouldn't stop hunting until he fell.  
His groans filled the space between them, almost making the air tremble.  
“Oh, Shiba. Don't give me that. It only increases my desire to break you ...”


	26. Uncovered

After Shiba had left him, with the command to make himself useful, she devoted herself to the case of the mysterious species. If it went well, she would be on the trail of the wolf. She would simply be busy until the evening, then sneak through the dark streets of the city as inconspicuously as possible.  
  
Nodding, she looked around. It was a good plan she would carry out on spot. Surely there was something she could do in the meantime.  
  
With this thought, she had long ago directed her feet to one of the shops that were in front of her. Her shirt felt odd, and the shorts she wore were also a little disgusting. If she had to wear the same outfit in this world every day, she should choose something different. Something that didn't start to smell bad in a short time and it should be comfortable for a long time. Something she could take again like when she washed her body and then had to put it on again.  
The clothing store, before which she stopped, seemed to be the first beginning to collect impressions.  
Beside some trousers and clothes, there was also traditional stuff. Kimonos, dresses of the old Baroque period, and also the simple dress of the field workers in villages. There was probably something for every taste.  
She searched through the things. A dress was a pretty good idea. It was easy to wear, offered freedom for the legs, and was wonderfully suited to be worn longer.  
  
“Can I help you?”  
Quickly she turned around. Behind her, a woman had taken her position and smiled kindly in her direction.  
“A dress, or a kimono. Best in dark colour.”  
She was briefly examined from top to bottom before the woman disappeared behind clothes rack. Waiting for a moment, Shiba did not move until the saleswoman stepped forward again. She had picked out four dresses and two kimonos.  
“I guess these will be wonderful fitting. Would you like to try on?”  
“Sounds good.”  
She followed the woman closely and went into the shop to change clothes.  
  
Gradually she squeezed herself into a dress. Of all those whom the woman offered her, she had found a very pretty one. Without sleeves and simple cut, it fell only slightly closer to the waist. One bag was found on each side so that she could accommodate her belongings. By the dark blue colour of the fabric, one wouldn't notice if it became a little dirty. The black ballerina, fortunately, fits well, which saved her an unnecessary expenditure for new shoes.  
  
“I think I'll take it.” She went to the checkout contentedly. Without taking it off she paid the price and left her old things back. The brackets for the pistols completely disappeared under the hem of the new dress, and her sword, as always, found its place at her waist. She looked up to the sky. How was she going to spend the rest of the day?  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
“Unfortunately, I couldn't find anyone.” Looking amorous with the pointing finger at the edge of the glass, he looked at her.  
“Impractical. We'll have to look elsewhere.”  
“In the north, there should be a group that may know more.”  
“Are you talking about players?”  
“Can you communicate with something else?”  
She shook her head while his grin widening slightly.  
After a long time, she decided to spend the time with Hisoka until the evening. They couldn't stay forever in one place, so it seemed logical for her to discuss with him about the next town they would visit. At the next moment, however, she regretted this decision.  
She became more and more conscious that he didn't care where they were going. He didn't even really want to look for anyone. But if he didn't, he also showed that he had other people who were concerned with the subject. He pushed them into the shoes of work while he was just waiting for information.  
  
“Maybe we'll find something interesting on the way there.”  
“A fight?”  
She just nodded as she took a sip from her cup. A fight wouldn't be bad, especially since she absolutely wanted to learn to get better. If she couldn't find anyone strong, the crowd would make it as well. Once again, she didn't want to fail. Especially not at his side. He was not a man who knew how to handle something with a useless Support. It was easier when she could prove that his back was safe if he didn't pay attention.  
Thoughtfully she bit her lower lip.  
Another opponent, like the woman from the auction. How well was Shiba against someone like her? She had her sword and pistols this time. She was ready to go further than the last time. She paused.  
How should she be ready?  
“You look like you need some advice,” he snarled, leaning forward. The boredom had already eaten him out so that he didn't even want to be provocative anymore.  
“That could indeed be true.”  
“Shall I give you a tip? Of course, that won't be free.”  
“Forget it.”  
Sighing, he dropped back against the chair back and tapped the index finger on the table. His long fingernails often scratched the surface.  
  
“Before I forget, you'll have to take care of the town alone. I'll follow another tip.”  
Leaving her eyes resting on his index finger, she gave him an answer.  
“Sure, and where do we meet again?”  
“Wherever you want.”  
“Great. I guess we're both equally motivated to find a meeting place.”  
“You got the card. You make the decisions.”  
“Idiot..”  
Putting her head back, she gave an undefinable sound, which was supposed, to sum up, her subtle mood.  
“I just call you.”  
“Write me.”  
“I'm calling..”  
“And what if I won't pick up?”  
“Hisoka, I beg of you ...”  
“When?”  
“Hisoka!”  
“Shiba!” While he was sweetly telling her name, she looked forward again, her eyes glancing. His mischievous smile and eyes, waiting for competition, met her annoyed gaze.  
“You really need a different hobby than eternally provoke other people! You're worse than a little boy!”  
“Don't say that Shiba, that hurts my feelings..”  
“I'm going to hurt something else very soon if you don't shut up.”  
“That would?”  
Whimpering, she put a hand to her forehead. If he couldn't build anything great, he was quite the master, as far as stupid answers were concerned.  
“You know,” he said, more gravely, “the fact that you're so easily taken out of me means you can not win the hunt.”  
Again she looked at him.  
“I will always escape, and if you don't see it coming you'll stumble into your own grave. A sign that you were not capable enough to take it on with me.”  
“Do you even know how I hunt?”  
“Uncoordinated. You have your goal firmly in view, but don't see what is moving around you. You are rushing before you know at all what position you are in.”  
  
She thought briefly about his words. He was not quite wrong. Since she was difficult with information in general, she quickly lost track. In Padokia, William had been able to take advantage of her. If the Trickster hadn't drawn her attention, she would never have thought of it.  
She had to laugh, which is why her counter-face slightly raised an eyebrow.  
“How exciting, you react differently than I expected.”  
“I just realized that you would give better Support than I do. You have everything at a glance and so I reluctantly admit that you have helped me quite a bit in some things. You can plan well, and even in battle, I can count on you to act at the right moment.”  
She shook her head, leaning herself over the table. Her dominant smile made him tilt his head a little. She came close enough so that he could feel her breath on the skin.  
“I win the hunt if I break your connections, using them in a fight against you. Then I won and you will see, I too am learning.”  
The deep hum, which followed her statement out of his throat, made her flinch.  
“I will come. Certainly. But if I see you like this, I have to keep it a bit to make it special. I think you'll give me a good time, Shiba.”  
“I give my best, Hisoka.”  
“Use it to surprise me.”  
  
♦ ♣ ♦  
  
The cool evening air shrouded the city in a single silence. Nearly no one found himself on the paths and the only thing that passed through the darkness where the white clouds, evolved by a warm breath.  
Slightly trembling, she stood tightly against a wall and watched for her goal. She wanted to get hold of the werewolf and thereby secure a place in the history.  
The wealth and all the fame to be given to her, she could scarcely imagine how beautiful the time might be.  
  
When she heard a faint echo, farther away in the streets, she moved further into the protective shadow. The sound seemed to have emerged obliquely behind her, in one of the rear areas.  
Carefully she put one foot in front of the other. Since she didn't know what would happen when her steps were heard, she tried to be as quiet as possible. She had more or less to deal with half a dog. There were enough other things that could uncover her. For example her smell.  
She almost stopped breathing when she noticed that the noise was getting closer. Her direction had clearly been the right one.  
  
A rustling came to her ear. The alley led to a place which seemed to bring together several of these streets. Refuse containers were found on the walls of the houses, as well as wooden boxes of various sizes. The stony ground and the dim light, which reached only miserably to this place, brought the air into an icy atmosphere. It was like entering an area where the time was slower, the pictures burned into the memory, and the heart moved.  
There was a dark figure on one of the boxes. It almost resembled a crime where the detective was about to learn the identity of the murderer. Shiba was in the same position.  
She watched as the thing moved back and forth on the wood. It just sat there and seemed to wait. Perhaps for a new victim, perhaps for the dawn of a new day.  
  
Holding her breath flat, she slid closer and closer to the thing. With every step she made, she discovered more. Ears, which were stubbornly directed upwards. A tail which moved from time to time. A being that should exist only in books.  
  
As if in slow motion, she reached for her sword and drew it almost silently out of his shell. The rest of the way, across the open space, would have to be carried out at a rapid pace.  
She took him in his sights, lifted the blade, and went a little to her knees. Nervously breathing, waiting for the right moment. As soon as she was sure that the right time had arrived, she pushed herself off. She ran quickly over the stony ground towards the wolf. He noticed only in the near last second that he was attacked and turned his head to her horrified. Just past his nose, she rammed the sword between two stones into the wall.  
“One wrong move and I'll pull your fur over your ears.”  
She looked at him triumphantly.  
“Is okay! You won the contest ... but please be careful with your weapon!”  
“Contest?” She looked at him confused.  
“Yes ... the contest.”  
As he told her again the word of her confusion, he relaxed again. Slowly he reached his ears and pulled them off. They were not genuine, found a place on a hair-band, which was hidden by the man's cuddly hair. He also took the tail off. This had been fastened under his shirt with a band around his belly.  
“But how …?” Her hands slowly dropped. The sword was stuck in its place in the wall.  
“But what?”  
“That ... was all so ... real ...”  
“Did you think that was real? Everyone knows that there are no werewolves! The way you react, some might think you didn't know about the contest!”  
“What a contest?”  
“Well, the monthly competition of the city. This time the theme was fairy tale hunt.”  
“And what did I get?”  
“The card: Prison. This will protect your cards in the required compartments if someone tries to steal them or destroy them. Except for the cards who are in the free compartments, which remain attackable.”  
  
She staggered backwards. Her trouble was in vain and her future shattered. She wouldn't get an entry in the history book. No one would honour her for her discovery. After all, she hadn't found anything, except a man who gave himself up to cosplay.


	27. Sample

“See you, Shiba,” he said happily.  
After being disappointed in the city before, she had returned to Hisoka in the hotel. Embarrassed, she had to ask him for his help.  
Since she had too much force in her attack against the man, she didn't get the sword out of the wall afterwards.  
The face that he had made before he began to burst out into laughter was still running through her head. Probably at that moment, he had expected that she was only joking. But when he realized that she was serious, he could barely hold back. Exaggerated, he put a hand in front of his eyes and leaned back a little while placing the other on his belly.  
After that, they both had gone to sleep without him making a single joke at her.  
The next day they had decided to leave the hotel and go north. Since Hisoka himself wanted to pursue something else, they parted halfway.  
So she was alone for the time being.

Without looking around grandly, she followed the path the Trickster had described to her. In the north, there should be a group of players who might have information that they might need. If everything went according to plan, she got not only a way to the Nen Exorcist but also a few cards. Depending on the number of people in the area, there would be a suitable way to train. She had to learn to master every situation. She had to be strong enough not to go back.  
The fight against the woman at the auction house was mistake enough. On Hisoka's side, losing was no option. In general, he was better in everything than her. He didn't need any support at his side.  
That's why she had to learn. Getting better. Calculate the situation.  
Shiba was aware of the fact that she couldn't help him in many ways. He was smarter than she was, and was keen to think before he did anything.  
But in exchange, she had skills that seemed useful.

As for physical strength, she might be about as strong as him. Probably even stronger because it was one of the things she specialized in. He was more of a melee fighter, but he could also attack from a certain distance. They were both quick and skilful. If she were really fighting him, her chances were only half as bad as she thought. She only had to find a balance, against his talent for strategic construction.  
And she had to overcome her fear when she realized that she couldn't help at all.

Sighing, she watched as a tree passed after her. Everything seemed so real, although it was actually only a game. In general, she would have expected a few errors in the display. Pixels, which showed some things out of focus.  
Instead, one could actually think that this was the reality.

♦ ♣ ♦

Four men, all armed to the teeth. Each of them seemed strong in his own way. Their good built body studded with muscles under tight tops. They would surely make a good fight if they were serious.

Slowly she came out of her hiding-place.  
“Good day, gentlemen.”  
In astonishment, four pairs of eyes looked in her direction. The next moment they jumped up and took their books.  
“I'm here to ask a few things.”  
“Who are you?”  
“What does a girl like you want from us?”  
“You're not alone, are you? A woman like you has a partner. Where is he hiding?”  
Shaking her head, she shrugs her shoulders briefly.  
“I am alone and I want to ask something.”

One of the men, with blond hair, stepped forward. He seemed to be the most sensible of the troops.  
“What do you want to know?”  
“Do you happen to know if there is a player who can exorcise Nen?”  
One by one, they threw themselves a few glances before she got an answer.  
“No, not really.”  
Nodding, she turned away. If they couldn't help her, she would get back together with Hisoka and look for another way.  
“Wait!”  
“Hm?” She looked over her shoulder.  
“Do you really think we just give you an information for nothing? You will have to pay.”  
“Will I?”  
Grinning, one of his friends came closer.  
“You have two options. Either you give us all your cards, or we will take them by force.”  
“Will you...?”  
“Haha, so I would take another thing by force with that looks of hers.”  
“Now that you say it, she is pretty. I would not mind coming between her legs.”  
“You think so? There are more beautiful women.”  
“The fact is that she is a woman and we haven't had any for ages.”

Disinterested, she followed the conversation of the men. Actually, it was a good situation. If she lost, they would not only take away all the cards. These men were very interested in sleeping with her. And if they had to use force, it didn't matter. Perhaps it would be better to forgo the cards of these people and correct them properly.

“I'll make you an offer.”  
They fell silent, waiting for her words.  
“Let us fight, you four against me. If you win, you can do with me what you want and you get my cards, of course. If I win, I'll get all your money.”  
“Agreed!” They didn't hesitate because they were sure to win with four people against a single girl.  
Unanimously, they took their money cards and put them into one of the books. This remained open, while the others were called back. So if she won, she could just take the cards out of the book.

Smiling, she put a hand on the handle of her sword. She couldn't test any techniques with the pistol. When she killed the men, there was no chance of cards. She also had a handicap. For a workout, more than fitting. Perhaps she could learn how she got her an ability under control. The one mode Cheadle had told her.

The men also went into position. Two of them were armed only with one dagger, while another held a battle axe and the last one a bow and an arrow. An exciting combination that she had to counter. Three at the front, one as support.  
She took her blade as slowly as possible. As soon as the metal had found its way out of its shell, she would attack.  
The seconds to this one moment, elapsed more slowly than they really did. Not any sooner than the sharp sound of metal sounded, she struck the attack.

Her goal was quickly set. She took a course for the greatest man who carried the axe with him. He was probably the slowest of all. Holding the sword at her disposal, she watched as he swung out his weapon.  
At the same moment, as he pushed it sideways toward Shiba, she jumped up. She could barely land on the broad surface of his battle axe, but there was no time to attack. She didn't even get her sword fast enough up, which meant she had to dodge the arrows that were shot at her. A clean spin through the air as she searched for a place to come up. But there was no free spot nearby that she could have reached. So she chose a more dangerous method.  
Rearing up in the air, her trajectory reached exactly to one of the men, who held a dagger in his hands. They were like animals, nothing else. That's why she spread her legs a bit to give him a nice look at her briefs. In the next second, she squealed helplessly and tried to straighten her dress. The man under her was so taken out of the concept that she kicked him in the face.  
In order to reduce the momentum, she pushed herself off with a foot from his face, and she immediately followed him again with the other foot. Not as if it would worsen. His appearance could only go uphill.

Shortly she looked around. The biggest of them had already taken a course on her again and swung out. Before he started attacking at all, she jumped off from her lower jump board and swung elegantly over him.  
As soon as she reached the ground, she was forced to retreat. Several times the other dagger owner attacked her. Although he didn't strike, he was so fast that she couldn't take the counter-attack. Behind him grew the giant. She had to act quickly.  
Waiting for the right moment, she stepped aside and set her leg up, so he stumbled past her. Quickly she hit him with the handle of her sword in the neck so that he collapsed. Her next move was to block the axe, which was thrown down upon her. She was forced to her knees. He was a man with a lot of strength. She didn't forget that no one of them was allowed to die. In doing so, she was dependent not to act too hastily and not to break his neck by mistake. On top of that came the marksman, who didn't want to stop shooting at her. Again two arrows were flying towards her.  
With difficulty, she pushed back the giant, dodged the arrows with a half-turn, and then ran in the direction from which the arrows came. He didn't seem to be a person for quick defences because before he could really defend himself, she had already split his bow.

She let the sword swing from top to bottom, through the wood, to swing it up again. Then she blocked the blade of the way too heavy weapon of her opponent. She couldn't deny that he became annoying. But she didn't stir. She pushed him back again, and at the same time heard the quick steps behind her. Without looking over her shoulder, she took a step to the side, so that the second man with a dagger stormed past her. His nose was bloody, he gave her a look before she took a blow on the back of his head. Two of them she had thus turned off.  
However, there were still two that had to be defeated.

There was no way to escape when she saw the angry presence behind her. She was grabbed under the arms and lifted a little. She slid the sword out of her hand and that almost made her defenceless. The man with the axe took advantage of this situation to take a targeted course. At the same time, he ran towards them at a rapid pace.  
She swung her lower half with all her strength up. In general, Shiba was not the strongest when it came to her own body. She was not good at pulling herself up somewhere or carrying her lower body up without the ground. However, she could hit like a man and her legs were quite powerful in the impact when she had ground under her feet.  
It hurt in her shoulders when she had to bend so far around herself, just for the counter-attack. She slapped her knee as tightly as possible on the head of the man who held her and immediately let go of her. In this way, she was able to complete the rotation and come to the ground like a cat on all fours. But she was not allowed to come for a breath. She jumped up, dodged. To the right, to the left, was pushed further and further backwards. Her counterpart swung his weapon so closely that he could perform the most dangerous attacks in half twists and indefinable contortions. If he got her, no one would have more fun with her.  
Fortunately, there was a weakness in his formation. In order to carry out such powerful blows, he was compelled swung a far way. He was completely unprotected and vulnerable.  
Waiting for such an opportunity, she drew back farther and farther until he swung out far to the side. Her sword had been too far away and killing was out of the question. Instead, she clenched her right hand into a fist and took out. They attacked at the same time, but she was more flexible in execution than he was.  
He swung sideways, she ducked in time. As soon as the swirling blade of the axe had been pulled over her head, she thrust into the pit of his stomach. It reached so far that she could feel the bones of his chest on her wrist muscles or she had hit hard enough to get really deep into him.

She bit her teeth together as she sat one foot beside him to take a step forward. This she needed to let him sail through the air. With this one blow, she carried him gracefully several meters away, until he hit the back first. Thanks to the whole swing, he surged after the serve and tumbled a little further back, before he remained motionless.  
She stood waiting for a few minutes. None of the four men seemed to have a great desire to get up again. Realizing this fact, she went over to the book and took out the money cards. Thoughtfully, she put them in her own free card places.

The fight hadn't helped her. Her instinct was really unreliable.  
She felt nothing, not even a simple tingling sensation. Only her heart beat faster, but much more of the fight came.  
Her wish to go berserk was not heard. So she couldn't just turn it on command, get out of the way and put everything into ruins. To swallow one's fear and open up an opportunity. At least not like this.


	28. Bet an inset

Sighing, she walked along the path between all the trees, surrounded by scrub. Still pondering on a helping method, she stared at her mobile phone. Four times she had tried to reach the Trickster. Seven messages she had written to him and not even one came back. Either he had decided to run away, or he annoyed her again.  
Gripping her teeth, she put the device away again. If he didn't want to answer her, she would kill him the next time she saw him. It wasn't particularly polite to ignore someone when one was supposed to work in a team.

Another sigh escaped her lips. Her hands were very dirty, although she had almost done nothing, which is why she stopped. Closing her eyes, she concentrated on her hearing. With a little luck, there was water nearby.  
It needed a little time before she heard a soft rippling sound. So it had to be a small waterfall. Joyfully she tapped into the direction of her just found water. Thirst plagued her and she wanted to wash her hands pretty badly.

♦ ♣ ♦

Carefully, she pointed out between a bush. The water, a little farther in front of her, had been quite silent. There was no movement, which was why she was a little stunned. The rippling didn't fade and was even louder on the way. However, she noticed that it was quite uneven.  
Almost on all fours, she crawled out of her hiding place to look better at her surroundings. It was impossible to see anything between the leaves.  
The grass floor, which touched her fingertips, tickled a little as she crept slowly over it. If she were so close to the ground, no one would notice her.  
At the same moment, the splashing fell silent, so she froze on the spot. Hastily hurrying the gaze, she assured herself that no one was standing behind her.  
Just as she wanted to turn her head forward again, her eyes remained attached to something. Something that she really didn't really want to see.

“Your stiff look makes me really hot. A good contrast to the cold water.”  
She watched as the thing grew in size before her eyes. So far, until it seemed ready for use.  
Only after she could understand the sight in front of her, her eyes slid upwards. She didn't escape an inch of his naked body. His strong legs, up to the slender basin. She could see how bones, along with some muscles, pulled down to his excited limb. Swallowing, she followed his basin to his chest. His belly muscles were more stunning than she could see in bed. The only real thing she already knew was his strong chest, along with the slightly showing collarbone. Shiba felt that it was quite attractive when this bone was shown a little. In combination with his wide shoulders, it seemed quite fitting and captivated her for a moment.

“Shiba? You stare.”  
Shocked she shook her head and gave her best to face him. Like the one morning at the hotel, he wore his hair down, which made him a little more attractive.  
“Yes..what is?” Since she hadn't really listened to him, she also didn't quite know what he had said to her.  
“You tell me.”  
Again and again, her eyes slipped back into his crotch. His best piece still stood high.  
“Well, the group didn't know anything.”  
“Not? I haven't come across any clues either.”  
“Across, hm?” Somewhere she had stuck between his legs.  
“Would you like to approach it and entertain me a bit?” Provocatively, he put his hands on his hips and stretched out his basin a bit. At the same time, he watched her with a glance that promised an absolute hunting wish but didn't affect the grin on his lips.  
“C..could you just put something on?”  
“How so? Then I would spoil your view.”  
“I just remember ..,” She looked up at him, more determinedly, with a discreetly angry look, "You didn't answer me. I tried to contact you. You think it is far more important to bathe than wait for me?”  
“Do you mean you would like to see me take my clothes off? Shiba, you should have just said something.”  
“Hisoka! This is serious.”  
“I've already understood, next time I'll let you watch.”  
“You are impossible. Come on,” she said, pointing to his clothes, which he had neatly folded on a stone.  
Without losing a word, he followed her request and moved back to shore. As he went to his clothes, as if it were the most normal in the world, she continued to watch him. As soon as he had turned his back on her, she was given a nice view of his butt. She could feel her face blushing. It was hard to judge who was now more perverse. She, for obvious starring, or he, for his erection by her looks.

“What are we doing now?” Just pulling the top over his head, before he was fully dressed again, he turned to her.  
“I don't know. We have no idea where our goal is, and there are other things I want to do.”  
“For example?”  
“Do you remember that you offered me help for a price? I try to find my solution, but I don't get any results.”  
“My offer is still available,” he muttered happily. He looked at her, brushing his hair back as always. She looked at him, surprised. He didn't seem to use any gel, and yet his hair kept its position.  
“How you do that?”  
“My hair?”  
She just nodded, whereupon he came up to her. She was still sitting around on all fours, what he used to go to the knees before her. He raised his index finger in front of her nose. A little Nen fixed on her eyes, she watched the show. Something pink, that he had brought into the shape of a heart, found itself on his fingertip again. As she looked at it, it changed into a different form. First a circle, then a spade. Shortly after, he put his index fingers together and pulled them apart. Like gum, the pink stuff, which was supposed to be his aura, pulled between his fingers.  
“That, Shiba, is Bungee Gum, my elastic love.”  
Gently, he tapped a finger against her cheek. When he took it away, she noticed something pulling at her.  
“It expands and is incredibly sticky. I can fix it anywhere and since it is quite sturdy, you can not break it so fast. The ideal toy, isn't it?”  
“Not bad. It can be used as defence and attack. At least for a certain part. How far can it stretch?”  
“As far as you want.”

Slightly laughing, she reached for his hand and looked more closely at his "elastic love".  
“How do you get on such a crooked name?”  
“Bungee Gum was my favourite gum when I was little.”  
“You call your skills after food?”  
His smile dropped a little. Tense, he bent a little more to her so that his breath brushed her skin. It made her terribly nervous when he came so close. There was a tingling sensation in her stomach, and her heart also beat faster than it should. She didn't miss the feeling in her stomach. It was disgusting, but at the same time, she was happy about it. Was it his aura, which he already raised again? She waited.  
“Sweets.”  
Confused, she watched as his grin broadened as he bent back and stood up. She would never understand him if he allowed such jokes from time to time again.

“Let's return to the actual subject. I didn't really think about how you could help me because I don't like it, but I just got an idea.”  
He watched as Shiba rose.  
“Both of us are bored and we don't get ahead with the information about the exorcist. You are clever. I can't say I don't want your help.”  
She stopped. She hadn't really considered the action really well. But there were things that she herself could do. Something in which she had accumulated years of experience. Hisoka had an aura which radiated absolute bloodlust and malignancy. He could summon it whenever he wanted. Even though she mastered this ability, she could be more useful to him as a Support for defence.  
“So you want to step into my debt a third time? You love the danger, huh?”  
She merely shook her head so that her white hair waved back and forth a little.  
“I want it even more dangerous.”  
A soft cry of delight escaped his mouth. She felt his aura rise. He was clearly interested in her little game.  
“Tell me, Hisoka, can you play with your cards?”  
“Absolutely.”  
“And what?”  
“Everything you want.”  
“Poker.”  
Smiling, he put his head slightly crooked. His fingers twitched a little while he waited.  
“Play against me. If I win, you will help me. You don't care what it is and you will not dare to think about it. Your only task is to give me a tip.”  
“A futile game, how exciting. I like how you try to pull your head out of the noose, with a game that you can't master.”  
“So you think you're winning?”  
“It is certain that I will win.”  
“You are much too pretentious.”  
“What do I get when I win?”  
“Everything you want.”  
His aura decreased.  
“This is boring.”  
She thought about a compensation.  
“How about I entertain you a little? You might like it.”  
“Oh?”  
“Try it, Hisoka. Try to break me. Show me if your big words are justified.”  
“This sentence I would like to hear it again if you've lost.” Purring, he put a pointing finger on his lips, his eyes were directed upwards. He seemed to think about something.  
“Do we have a deal?”  
He paused for a moment before looking down at her.  
“Agreed.”


	29. Little tiger

She had indicated the direction for her new goal, and proceeded leisurely ahead, while Hisoka followed her. He couldn't deny that it was already tingling in his fingers when he was thinking about playing a game against her. Sure, it was just poker, but it was one of the most surprising card games one could play.

Again and again, he let his eyes glide up and down on her. Shiba didn't seem particularly strong and didn't really arouse his interest in this part. However, something in him said he had to be careful. He had learned that one should never underestimate people until they were really extinguished, or defeated. She was no exception in this case. She could betray him, without much hesitation. Could lean against him. Go against him he couldn't understand why. Although he was sure that he was clearly stronger than she was, and she had also admitted that he was smarter, she troubled him.  
She had nothing to confirm her victory. Still, she was ready to surprise him. A small aspect he really liked about her.  
Smiling, he turned his gaze from her. She had started a bet in which he had nothing to lose. She probably hadn't even thought of that. She wasn't a person who gave much attention to details, so she missed a lot. If he hadn't given her a tip at the time, she'd still be on the side of William.  
Shortly he looked back at her.  
In return, her commitment was more than shameful. She was ready to give up her pride, just to win. This stubborn side of hers could either help her some time or kill her. The cards for this play were solely in her hand.

Amused, he watched as she kept looking at the card in her hand. Thanks to the wagered bet, their new goal was Dorias, the city of gambling. When he thought about the matter more closely, he was a bit interested in why she had chosen a game like poker. It was predictable and at the same time spiked with lies, one could never know which card would be next.  
Either she had a plan or she really hoped that he couldn't play poker. In this case, however, he had to disappoint her. He knew the rules exactly, and he would show her how futile a bet could be if one was not prepared. Added to this was the fact that one had to think a lot about this game. It was important to keep an eye on the opponents to find out if they were starting a bluff.  
It was exciting. The whole situation was exciting.

♦ ♣ ♦

“Do you see! There we are!” Joyfully she turned once in a circle as if she had discovered a treasure. He had noticed on the half that she didn't understand the map at all. But as he liked how she was struggling, he offered no help. Rather, he wanted to see if she was still at the right destination.  
And indeed she had found the way.  
“Where do we go?” He already knew the answer. But it was far too much fun for him to give the lead to her. If he followed her, strange things could happen again and again. Admittedly, Shiba was always good for a surprise. She was the only entertaining thing on this island.  
“There!” As she pointed to an exceedingly large building, right in the middle of the city, he thoughtfully laid his head a little in the neck. For her, it looked like he was looking at the piece of architectural art more closely, but he was not even interested in it. There was something better than that.  
Shortly he fell into his thoughts. Soon one would find the exorcist and the boring time, in the middle of a game in real life, came to an end. The question was, how soon did he want to make it come to an end.  
Shiba Erskine, a young woman who had chosen the way of a Support. She was an emitter. Completely compatible with him. She was good for unexpected situations and certainly gave her best to protect her partner. Not that he needed someone like her. It was unnecessary and could be replaced at any time. As soon as she pulled the joker in the game, which they had both set up, there was no way out for her.

Soothingly he reached for his left shoulder, which had begun to tremble. Just the thought of the result of the hunt turned him on. It was an incredible feeling that spread within him. So weak and so stubborn. Asked him to be broken. How far would she go for her victory? When was he to crush her will? Probably he would do this part spontaneously. It was much more exciting to see how long she was able to entertain him. To watch how long she could keep the tingling in his body upright. The will to play with her harder and more complicated almost overwhelmed him. But she wouldn't be able to stand up long enough if he had already set the rules of his magic. Until the moment when she would be willing to do so, he had to control himself. To content himself with annoying her and to remember all her reactions. So long until he could see the target he wanted in her.

The tingling sensation in his body increased seemed to get rid of him. Every part of his skin seemed to burn. Everything in him wanted to get to the attack. The twitching in his muscles showed how hard he had to get it together. It almost equalled the loss of one's own control. If only for a moment he would be careless, Shiba had no chance of a longer life. He would kill her, in a fight, she couldn't win.  
A moan escaped his throat as he thought of how her sword caught in his bungee gum. It would become dull and useless. She would never cut through his elastic love.  
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Shiba looking horrified in his direction. Probably he had disgusted her again, with his thoroughly sexual aura. But the thought of an intense fight with her, in which she could do nothing, only aroused him even more. He usually favoured strong opponents because they entertained him, but Shiba had the ability to entertain him without great fighting power.

How she lost her sword in his nostrils and stumbled back, annoyed. Pulling her pistols and shooting at him. He would use his aura for protection and pull up with it. Shizuku had told the squad about the fight with her. She was the only one who couldn't get killed by the black-haired woman. When she said she had acted unexpectedly, with an unpredictable ability, he had to resist any kind of excitement.  
By this one fight, he could have learned more about her than in the Heavens Arena. But it didn't just happen. There was more than the things which were hidden behind her facade. In this case, it depended on her request, as he supposed.  
He had noticed how she had broken her head over some things. It was not very absurd to think about how she could be a good Support. Especially since he seemed to be better in everything that she did.  
Shizuku had also told about this. She seemed to have found a degree of interest in Shiba. According to her statement, she had thrown the girl against a wall. But instead of making big institutions whimpering on the ground, she stayed on the spot. An amused laughter made itself sound before she caught herself again. She didn't even seem to notice what she had done. Almost as if there was a more dangerous side that she couldn't use as she liked.  
If this was the case, he knew exactly what she wanted from him. They weren't that different in this situation. He was, therefore, a suitable starting point.

“Hisoka?”  
He looked at her questioningly.  
“Are you listening to me at all?”  
“We are now going to this palace, which is actually a casino.”  
Nodding, she turned to go. He hadn't listened to her. It was easy to calculate, as it would be noticeable when he devoted his attention to other things.  
By the way, the unrelenting feeling of the murderous desire passed through him. This part made him breathe deeply before he followed her.

Curiously she looked around, keeping an eye on all the people and looking at Hisoka from time to time. She seemed to like the colourful activity of the masses. It wasn't even that special. Most of these figures, who were passing by, seemed more like they had just lost a lot. It was nothing that was followed enthusiastically.  
So what did she see in all these people? What fascinated her so much?

“Hisoka?” She wanted something from him again.  
“How can I help you?” Slightly playfully, he took a step closer to her.  
“You are aware that you should think about a way how you can help me. I think you can imagine where I need help.”  
“You really think you're winning?”  
She did it again.  
“Shut up. You have no idea how I hunt. I may be uncoordinated, but I know my abilities.”  
She pointed at him and stood up stubbornly.  
“And you know mine?”  
He could not resist.  
“I can calculate you. You're only half as mysterious as you do.”  
How she started more than obviously a bluff.  
“You lie.”  
It excited him.  
“For sure? How about if you find out if I lie. Isn't that a part of the game?”  
How she became unpredictable from moment to moment.  
“We're already playing? How interesting.”

She stopped. Turned to him. He could feel his heart beat faster. He had to control himself, no matter what she would say. He had to keep her alive until he had enough of her. She was a little different from his normal toy. Something that he usually never would have used.  
How he regretted it. She was terribly amusing. An ideal pastime.  
They were playing at that moment, before, afterwards. There was no end.  
He looked at her. What would she say?

“We've been playing since we first met. There wasn't a second in which we acted normally. Didn't you notice that we couldn't agree all the time about who holds the upper hand? You think you are the better player. But you didn't even notice that the game started long before Antokiba. Chess became a cat and a mouse hunt. This became a war game, which we balanced up on entertainment. Isn't that what you wanted?”

The view. This look in her eyes, which revealed pure indifference. It was amazing. She didn't even know herself and dared to go to war with an unknown party.  
Did he hold the upper hand? He had no doubt, but she tugged at him. If she continued, he would lose her footing.  
Drop the cards.  
Was that her goal?


	30. Four of a group, but what strategy?

The interior of the casino was as expected. Colourful lights and a moody atmosphere.  
Shiba seemed to be very much charmed by all the jewellery, for she couldn't stop giving a stifled outcry after the other.  
But she remained faithful to her goal and pushed herself forward bit by bit. She brought both to the checkout, with Hisoka himself remaining in the background. She got the chips, a total of fifty thousand Jenny, for everyone. Cheerful, she handed him the little bucket with the inserts. She was so sure that she would win against him.  
Following her, he went through the rules of the game again. So long until he sat at the table beside her.

♦ ♣ ♦

Two men and one woman sat with them at the table. Shiba had chosen the place because she said they would make nice rivals. Hisoka, on the other hand, agreed. He didn't care how many unimportant objects he had to turn off as long as he approached her. It was his goal. The others were only accessories.

They both stacked their chips on the green surface of the table. Deliberately, she had sat down beside him, wearing a smile that couldn't be interpreted. Playfully slipping his fingers over the chips, he replied it. It was sweet as she didn't realize she was digging her own grave, and he was reluctant to not get in her way. He wanted to be surprised. See how far she could come at all.

The game started and the cards were handed out. Everyone jumped ahead with the usual bet, one made the small blind, another had to give the big blind. The rest followed. The two hidden cards in front of him were as cleanly positioned as those in front of every player. No sooner had the dealer placed the first three cards in the centre of the table, each began to examine his own hand.  
Cautiously he raised his two cards. A diamond two and a spade king. A quick look at his partner. She didn't make a reaction while she took a few chips from her pile and increased the stake. Nodding, he watched her and went with it.  
“Call.”  
Sighing, one of the players slammed the cards on the table and finished the round himself. Two others reminded, the last one increased. The next card was revealed. Thoughtfully, he looked at the piece. Shiba seemed quite sure about her cause, which is why she followed with the last, increased stake. This also revealed the last card.  
She got out. With a soft “fold,” she pushed the cards away.  
“Call.”  
Again he held against the rest, while the other woman pushed the cards from her. The dealer announced the showdown and animated to reveal the cards.  
“One Pair.” The last player, who was still in the race with Hisoka, announced his hand. In boredom, Hisoka turned his cards around.  
“Two Pair.”  
The round was his win.

Shortly he glanced at Shiba, who looked at him uncertainly. Then he put his head in his hand and smiled at her seductively. She hadn't had a good start

The next set of cards were handed out, not leaving them out of sight. She was visibly nervous as she couldn't even force herself to smile. She pulled a face that bore him as much as the beginning of the game itself. It was like the first time. They all set the blinds and waited for the first three cards to be revealed. No sooner was the last of these three uncovered, she pushed the cards away. She looked calmer than she should. She was planning something. And that made his heart beat faster again. But for the time being, he had to get it together. They had only begun and he couldn't say how far the whole thing would go.  
Once again, he looked at his cards. He didn't want to play when she just got out.  
“Fold,” he said, pushing the cards a bit to the dealer. He didn't have to look to his partner to feel her icy gaze on his skin.  
An excited chill ran across his back as he put a hand over his mouth. Another player won the round with a good set.

Shiba, on the other hand, seemed quite concentrated. She kept an eye on everyone at the table. In order to see exactly what she tried to recognize, he also let his eyes wander. The dealer handed out the cards, no one shrugged his mouth, and so hard it was to admit, there was nothing he could see. No one had yet begun to squeeze the other with his aura.

Again, the cards were released and the tension rose. It clearly went from Shiba, who became quieter with every second. Once again, he let his eyes wander. What had she seen? Her aura rose a little, which the woman, as well as one of the men, let briefly looked to her. He kept an eye on her. Something in him said that one thing had escaped his gaze. Even if it couldn't really help him, he didn't want to ignore anything. The cards lay hidden in front of her, the middle three were uncovered. Shortly he looked at his own set, then back to her.  
She went with the use of the others. She fixed the dealer as if he were doing something strange at any moment. He followed her gaze, but the dealer just stood there, his eyes closed, waiting for the next round.  
Shiba looked at her cards again. Almost as if to make sure she wasn't wrong.  
Thoughtfully, he tapped on the table with the pointing finger.  
“Call.” He decided to go with the bets.  
However, she still didn't have enough. She set the bar higher and increased the contribution. Two players got out of the round. He and the other moved along.  
Again she rose, so he also stepped out of the game. When the cards were revealed, her result turned out to be a royal flush. She won.

At the next round of the cards, he completely turned away from her. There had to be a reason why she had fixed the dealer so impressively. Hisoka did the same, watching every move, and then realized.  
It was a fast movement, which was hardly noticeable. Instead of from above, the dealer drew the next card from the centre. He didn't deal the cards fair. It also dawned on him what she was doing. Shiba had started to count in the course of the game. She knew who got what card and could be safer with it. Of course, there was no one hundred percent certainty that she was right, but it was a beginning. How safe was she? Sixty percent? Perhaps seventy?  
If she wanted to play this way, he went with it.

The aura around the table rose from every side. Some players tried to defend themselves, while Shiba decided to win one game after another. Not all in a row. It seemed as if she would lose some of them deliberately, with little commitment.  
Excited, one of his eyes twitched. She did something he hadn't understood. He was aware that she counted the cards. It was a skill that she applied. The stage card of her abilities was the calculation. As the dealer was pulling out of the deck, she had to be precise and keep it in the back of her head.  
So far he could follow her, especially since he too had begun to count. And precisely at this point, his scepticism increased.  
Counting was not a thing that could tell you clearly how the cards were distributed in the field. Nevertheless, it had a certain success rate. To his astonishment, however, some features didn't agree. Often she had cards that someone else should have had. Your neighbour, his counterpart. What was expected was found in the field. But not with those who should possess it.  
When he looked at all these players, he actually lost the sceptre to Shiba, who held a strategy he didn't understand. How many options were there that she could carry out? Generally, there were four. Count, strategically calculate, bluff and cheat. She had already carried out two of these actions. She hadn't yet started a bluff. Cheating was out of the question. He would have noticed it since no one could simply cheat unseen.

Furthermore, cards were pushed across the table. At some point, Shiba's neighbour won a considerable profit. He also kept it and got out of the game completely. With him, another man left the table. They were just three.

“You did well.” Playfully he led a chip between his fingers back and forth.  
“A thing you can't say about you.”  
She didn't even look at him when she answered him, so he put the chip on the table and bent a little forward.  
“I almost caught you.”  
He had to find out what she was doing. How she did it. Without this knowledge, it was almost impossible to fight against her.  
“Then you should catch me before the money dries out.”  
She talked about the chips he had left. He'd lost a lot in the last game and would certainly go bankrupt in the next two rounds if he didn't win. He must be more cautious.  
This thought made him a little laugh. His voice sounded deeper than usual. It could be due to the sheer excitement it gave him. A game that she couldn't actually win but yet she just won. A surprise for him. He hadn't expected it to be so tough when it came to poker.  
“Tell me at least, am I right with four cards?”  
“Because you can't do anything anyway, yes.”  
He grinned. He had found the right approach.  
“Let's go to the last round.”

♦ ♣ ♦

After a little break to get a drink and to breath, they sat down again at the table. During their absence, two new players had found themselves on the table, so they came back to five.  
Shiba had said it would be the last round. The meaning behind this statement was easy to understand. She was planning to pull him completely over the table and win. The way she'd said it was just a little more exciting. So much so that he couldn't help himself while his limb became harder and harder. The unrelenting tingling in his fingers and the rushing of blood in his ears. All these things showed how high his adrenaline had risen. Only by cards. Only through a game, he had just lost.  
He sat down at the table. Shiba had already taken her place and sat next to him as always. They began the game of lies again.

Round by round passed by. But each went the same, at least for her. As he won from time to time, she lost every one of them. She gave the cards off, watched her opponents. Hisoka did the same, but for a change, even the dealer seemed to be fair. This made counting easier, which is why he didn't quite understand why she always lost.

She drew her cards, waited. Until she got back into the game. He watched her features. She rose one chip at a time, pulling along, while one or the other retreated. She made a bluff here and there. But the given amount, which she lost, was not very large. Nevertheless, her chips were less, while he gradually took back a normal amount.  
Perhaps she decided to go to the last round.

Banned she looked at her cards. He had already taken a look at his. The cards on the table gave him a lot of possibilities. These, as well as those in his hand, promised a good result. There was a heart-king, a heart-lady, and a ten-diamond. In front of him, hidden, lay a heart ace together with a ten from the same row. The chances for a Royal Flush weren't bad.  
Shortly he glanced at Shiba. A bead of sweat ran down her temples, which reflected her inner nervousness. Spotting, he gave a smile. She would lose.  
The next card, which the dealer revealed, was a heart jack. So he had his cards. There was no higher combination than this.  
“All in.” It sounded beside him. The words from her mouth made his angles go even further up.  
“Fold.” Came from a player, who had bravely held up to this point. He could only give him a smile before turning to his own set.  
“All in,” Hisoka muttered sweetly as he pushed all his chips into the middle. If his calculations were correct, the next card would be a cross-seven.  
A last look at his partner before the last card was revealed. He kept right. However, the expression of his seat neighbour had changed. Without looking at his cards, he uncovered them. He was much more interested in her part.

As she turned around her deck, he merely muttered. He had won. She had only a seven and a ten.  
“The lady wins with a two pair,” explained the dealer, whereupon Hisoka turned his head in horror. His cards were not the ones he had before. He looked briefly at Shiba's hand. The heart ten, which the higher pair had introduced to her, was originally his. She had given him a cross-four.  
The smile of his lips wiped and his eyes slightly expanded, he watched as she took the chips. It was amazing. He couldn't even tell when she'd exchanged the cards. She had actually saved herself and won the game by over-simplifying him. He hadn't watched. Far too much had he been doing to keep her in sight and understand her strategy.

“You like the four, as I can imagine?”  
He looked at her. A cheerful smile graced her face. Her slightly red cheeks revealed that she was really happy. The first time she showed such a smile, which caused a strange feeling to him. Actually, he would have expected that he had to suppress his pure excitement after he had lost. That it would turn him on when he saw her in the face. But nothing happened. His heart beat faster, but he felt no need for murder.  
“I lost, as it seems to me,” he replied, looking at her questioningly. What was it? Why did he feel no will to break her for this action? To threaten her and set a new game?  
It wasn't because he was bored. He had had a lot of fun and she had a good time.  
“It seems like. I told you, you shouldn't always say such big words.”  
She leaned over to him. Her green eyes were shining, presumably, because she hadn't expected the victory. She seemed so lively. Live enough to bind him for a moment.  
If he broke her, he wouldn't see this life ever again. Her smile would disappear forever and he would never feel that feeling again.  
Was it good? Was it bad?

Just thinking about it, the familiar smile conjured back to his lips. He knew what that feeling meant.  
He played a card with a quick hand movement. It was the joker she had to pull in the war they were leading.  
A gap filler, whom she had defended.  
A card that asked him a simple question:

  
**Game or hope?**


	31. Four of a group, in royal cheat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys. I'm happy if you're reading this story. If you are interested in Updates or other things, if you want me to ask something or if you just want to see what I'm writing right now (or doing), you can visit me on Facebook.   
> \--> https://www.facebook.com/SallyQuinnHellgate

Together they entered the casino, which was the highest building in the city.  
Colourful lights and a spirited atmosphere spread inside, while she could hear the chips and cards at the tables. She was fascinated by the view. It was almost like the paradise. Only much more expensive and only half as quiet.  
Realizing the fact that she hadn't just come to look, she went on, closely followed by Hisoka. He didn't seem to be in the mood. He had the same, fixed smile, as always. Somehow it was almost creepy.

At the checkout, she switched chips against Greed Island cards for each of the two. Fifty thousand Jenny for everyone. In a moment she looked at the buckets, which were put before her nose before she passed one of them to the Trickster. At the same time, she gave a smile to him. It was better if they were both optimistic about the play, even if she knew he was too confident.

Nodding, she took the course to the tables for poker. If she still mastered all her old features, there was no problem winning against him.  
Putting this thought in her head, she sat down at one of the tables. Three people had already found a firm place and generally, they seemed good enough to be able to compete in the game. Two men and one woman.  
Shortly after, Hisoka sat beside her. He seemed a little lost in thought, at least his eyes told so much. If he didn't concentrate on the game, he didn't have a chance to get close to victory at all.

♦ ♣ ♦

Stacking the chips on the table, she folded her hands and placed them on the green plate of the playing field. Her grin grew slightly wider as she watched the Trickster. No matter what he was going to do, she'd already gained the upper hand when he'd let himself into the game at all.  
He also built a few towers with his chips, before he let his index finger slide over the upper edge of one of them. He didn't let her out of sight. His dominant style in a situation like this was anything but good.

The game started and the cards found their way to each player. The start of the game was made by everyone with the bets, while two players had to place the big and the small one. As it was, they all went with it.  
The two cards, which lay hidden in front of her, were not necessarily bad. In addition to a cross ten, she was also given a spade seven.  
She stared at the chips in the middle. She could feel her seat neighbour bargain. He was probably trying to guess what her hand was like.  
“Raise,” she consciously raised the stake by a certain amount. Hisoka followed, one of the men gave up.  
The next game card was revealed. In short, she let her options go through her head. The other man, who was still in the game, raised the bet again. Something unsure whether it was a good idea, she dragged along.  
“Call.”  
This also revealed the last card. A heart seven. Although she had a pair, it didn't seem high enough. Everyone who sat at the table and still played seemed to be able to deliver more than a ridiculous couple. That's exactly why she got out of the round. There were still plenty of opportunities to score.  
“Fold.”  
“Call,” Hisoka, on the other hand, continued to go, while the woman was getting out. She watched him a little, as he looked quite bored. His interest in the other players didn't seem very high. Shortly thereafter the dealer announced the showdown and the remaining two turned their cards around.  
“One Pair,” the man said, giving her a smile. It was the right decision to get out before she lost her cards.  
“Two Pair,” her eyes slipped to the two uncovered cards of the clown. The round went clearly to him.

When she looked at him, her eyes met. She wasn't sure how he saw it. Her start wasn't the best and he had won the first round. He seemed to notice that uncertainty plagued her, which is why he merely supported his head and gave her a perverse smile. Sometimes she wondered that no woman had hanged him for this behaviour.

The game went into the second round, again wondering when she would play more seriously. First of all, she had to know exactly how each of them ticked when it came to gambling. This one round should suffice.  
The start went off, as the first time. They all set the bet and waited for the three cards in the middle. As soon as she saw the third of them, she pushed her own cards away. It was better not to overthrow. She had to concentrate and couldn't be distracted by her neighbours. Probably it was Hisokas main goal to get them out of his way to have a simpler game. She watched the players as well as the dealer.  
By the way, she noticed that Hisoka also pushed the cards off and got out of the round. His provocation was limitless, so much was certain. It excited her.  
Annoyed, she tilted her head a little, to stab him with her gaze. However, he didn't even shrug. Instead, he put a hand over his mouth, which could only mean that he had some nasty thoughts again.  
One of the other men won the round with a full house.

Sighing, she turned back to the others. Just as the dealer reached for the map deck, mixing and dispensing the positions, it struck her. He didn't play fair. Instead, he played with the participants by distributing the cards so that certain people gained. If she took his tactics right, he wanted to leave everyone at the table unobserved. When someone fell victim to a lucky strike, he became much more exuberant, which the distributor used and gave him a bad hand.  
In this case, she had no choice but to counter his game. If she didn't do anything against his way, she would fall victim to his game. She would count the cards. There were a lot of formulas one could use to calculate which card would be next. One had to settle the fact that he often pulled out of the deck. With a quick movement, almost unseen, while it seemed as if he were pulling the top card.

With this knowledge, she also gained a great advantage, which motivated her to increase the tension. She let out a part of her aura, calmed herself to the lowest point. The right game had just begun.  
She unfolded her hands. Each of them found space next to their cards.  
By the fact that she threatened her opponents with a certain degree of dominance, a few glimpses landed in her direction. Including that of her Hunter.  
She watched as the three cards were revealed in the middle. Her hand wasn't bad. Nevertheless, she seemed a little too low. On the table, a cross ace, a cross jack, and a ten were found. She herself had a cross-king and an eight from the spades. Hisokas eyes still persecuted her, which is why she stared at the dealer. Surely he looked at her only because her aura was so surprisingly rising. He was looking for an answer why she acted like that. A rational explanation for her behaviour. That was the reason why he followed her gaze and aimed at the dealer. She took the opportunity to swap the cards quickly and unseen with another guy. Her seat neighbour had been so fixed on the chips that he didn't notice her hand brushing over his cards. Thanks to the fact that she could count the cards, she was sure to get something right. In fact, it was a cross lady.  
“Raise,” she continued.  
They all went with it.  
“Raise.”  
At her second raise, two players emerged from the round. Hisoka and another man came along.  
“Raise.”  
One last time she almost doubled the sum of the chips. It also caused her neighbours to leave. When the dealer announced the showdown, she put her cards open. A Royal Flush. She won the round.

Again the cards were handed out. The Trickster had turned away from her and fixed the dealer, which gave her a little more air to act. Again the cards were mixed in a playful way, so she was forced to count. Her prognosis, who had which card, had only a security of forty percent. But it was more than enough to stay on the dam and surprise everyone.

The aura, around the table, rose from each side. She won one game after another, losing a few of them by wrong calculations. Fortunately, she had noticed her mistakes early enough, so she had to give up only a few of her chips.

The cards also danced across the table. In one round, she decided voluntarily for a defeat. Her neighbours, from whom she had already stolen the cards a few times, had become quite nervous in the course of the day. The stake at this moment was quite high and according to her calculations, his hand didn't look so bad. That's exactly why she exchanged a card to strengthen his hand so that he won. As she had expected, he took the chips and made the decision to stop. He got out of the game, followed by another man who couldn't bear the loss he had just suffered.  
They were just three left.

“You played well,” he played again with one of the chips while he looked at her. She didn't look at him, but she could feel it. His looks were more than offensive.  
“What you can't say about yourself.”  
She heard him throw the chip onto the table and take his eyes off her.  
“I almost caught you.”  
He actually thought he had the upper hand. At least half way. Inwardly she was glad about it because it meant that he too would be less attentive. Perhaps he was smarter than she was, but she was a natural talent.  
“Then you should catch me before the chips go out.”  
Shiba didn't miss the fact that he had only a few chips left. The rounds didn't go very well for him, which is why he had lost some. If everything went according to her plan, she would wrap him around the finger.  
In the middle of nowhere, he began to laugh. His dark voice chased a shiver through her body. She had clearly induced him to fall into a hunting mood.  
“Tell me at least, am I right with four ways?”  
“Because you can't do a thing anymore, yes.”  
She had no idea what he meant. But it seemed wrong to ask why she simply agreed.  
“Let's go to the last round.”

♦ ♣ ♦

After a short break to breath and to drink, they sat down again at the table. During their absence, two new players had been found, so they returned to five players.  
Shiba had told him that it would be the last round. Generally the last set. There would be no further break. She would win against him - completely.  
The Trickster took a seat beside her again. They started the game of lies again.

The rounds gradually passed. They were the same for Shiba. She got her cards, watched as the middle was revealed and gave up. In doing so, she pretended to continue looking at her new opponents. Hisoka still focused too much on her direction. She couldn't fool him in an easy way. Every now and then he followed her gaze and assured that the dealer was fair.  
This situation was ideal for counting, but she was too tired. It was terribly warm and certainly, her cheeks flushed. She gave up the counting until it offered itself for the final blow.

Again and again, she drew her cards and waited. It was only when she could get a half-clear head that she got back to the front. She counted only fleetingly and kept the field in the eye. She put her chips in, the Trickster followed and the others pulled back. So it was almost every round. She also dared to bluff, but she wasn't a good liar, so the others quickly recognized when her hand wasn't really useful. Her bets became less and the little towers of plastic chips, on the side of Hisoka, rose.  
It was a good time. He certainly didn't expect a good move from her.

Taking a deep breath, she stared at her cards. It wasn't really useful, but she had to bite her teeth. She didn't lie. Her deck was perfect. She just had to polish it up.  
Three cards were revealed. A heart king, a heart lady and a diamond ten.  
If her calculations were correct, Hisoka was close to a Royal Flush. With a heart ace and a ten from the same row.  
Her action could be dangerous, depending on how sensitive Hisoka was. She was nervous and that let the temperature rise in her. She wasn't sure.  
The next card, which the dealer revealed, was a heart, Jack. The Trickster was thus clean out. But it wasn't what she was looking forward to. With the fact that he knew that no one could beat him, it was easier to pull him across the table.  
“All in,” she decidedly put all her chips in the middle. She had nothing. Hidden in front of her was a heart seven and a cross four. Not even a couple could match her.  
“Fold.” One of the other players got out. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Hisoka grinning at him. She used these seconds and exchanged the cards.  
“All in,” he also made his commitment, which is why she almost cried up for joy. He hadn't noticed that she had tricked. But she remained firm, pretending to be a little lucky. She tried to concentrate on how the course would continue. The next card should actually be a cross seven. Together with the card she had stolen from Hisoka, it gave a satisfactory result.  
She was glad. When everything went as planned, she had finally shown him that she couldn't be underestimated.

Hisoka held his head in her direction to examine her cards. He was about as secure as she was. Just that he still didn't know she literally had the better cards. The last card was revealed. A cross seven.  
The cards were turned around and her seven and the stolen ten of her. She heard Hisoka cheerfully on her side as he still hadn't looked at his own cards.  
“The lady wins with a two pair,” explained the dealer, which caused her to swallow.  
She had won.


	32. The tip

“What do you think? Do you have any idea to help me?”  
They both secured themselves a place in a cafe. While Hisoka was stirring in his coffee, Shiba sat in front of a piece of cake. For a month they were already in Dorias and let their minds dangle. No one had a clue to get to the exorcist, and they liked it in the city of gambling, so they stayed.  
The Trickster had still not given her the hint she had asked for. She had described her problem in detail.

“I have quite an idea.”  
“Why don't you tell me then? I won the bet so you have to pay your wage. You've been quite absent all the time. At the moment there is nothing more important than the help you owe me.”  
“Forgive me. You just fascinate me so much that I can not think of anything else but your way of playing.” A light smile graced his lips, which was different from what he usually wore.  
“Then get it together and give me the tip.”  
“Your problem is that you can't use it when you want to. I guess the problem is quite easy to fix. You said that if you feel harassed, or restricted, in any way, or, if a fight is not in your favor, you feel it. In my eyes, you are excited in these moments. You are a masochist and, in a certain way, easily irritable. Maybe a little sadistic? Your fight against Sadaso has shown both. Your fight at the auction, however, was different. Where was the problem?”  
“The feeling was different. It went so fast and I immediately realized that this woman is quite strong. Sadaso wasn't an opponent for me.”  
His smile widened.  
“Oho, you were afraid?”  
Annoyed, she rolled her eyes, stabbed the cake with her fork.  
“I'm not afraid. Never.”  
“Hm, you're really weird. Sadaso excites you because he is weaker than you. Your opponent in the auction has frightened you because she appeared very strong. I once again evoked both of them at the same time.” He let his tongue slip over the spoon, looking at her playfully.  
“How do you know I've felt both vibes from you?”  
“Why are you still at my side?”  
She was silent.

“Anyway. What do you suggest?”  
He closed his eyes, pressing the spoon to his lips.  
“You should get in the mood. No matter what the situation requires you should prepare yourself for it.”  
“And how to go to the excitement? Unlike you, I'm not nearly as sexually confused as you ... “  
“How mean. I'm merely sensitive,” as he opened one of his eyes again, Shiba pushed the cake aside, annoyed.  
“If your opponent is strong or stronger than you, use the fear in you to call the masochist out of you. Imagine how good this fight might be. How to cut a body while you slowly drill your sword into the flesh of your opponent.”  
She followed his words, trying to play the scenario in her head. In fact, it began to tingle in her body, in a way that demanded more.  
“I just realize I'm just as much of a pervert as you are.”  
“This makes our journey a bit more colorful,” he whispered quietly to himself. By the way, he slowly drew the plate with the piece of cake in his direction.

Sighing, Shiba leaned back. If she had to rely solely on her imagination, fighting would be easier. But why hadn't she thought of it earlier? So much trouble would have been spared if she had thought. She knew her own weaknesses, but wasn't smart enough to find the solution.  
Instead, Hisoka had to help out. She was a shame as Support. At least as far as reflection was concerned.  
“We should definitely see if something new is known, to a Nen Exorcist.”  
“Let's wait a little longer.”  
“How so? The sooner we help Chrollo, the sooner we get out of here.”  
The sweet piece of pastry had now reached Hisoka, who slowly took the fork in his hand and led it one by one piece to the mouth. She looked at him unceasingly, could no longer turn her eyes away. She liked the way he looked normal and was almost acting like this. But even if it was pleasant that he behaved like this, it seemed boring. His capricious, twisted manner and all the jokes he drew over her were a part she didn't want to do anymore.  
He made a joke up and she countered, and he usually annoyed her a little more. It made the amusement exciting and a challenge for her. He was open, which made conversation easier with him. He was playful and one never knew when he might told a little lie. Things that made a life with him more interesing.

“You should think less, Shiba. You don't get any result anyway.”  
“If I don't think about our progress, then no one does. You don't seem to be particularly interested.”  
“Why so hurriedly, if there are other ways to get information?”  
“They would be?”  
“Who knows …,” with pleasure, he put the last piece of cake in his mouth, keeping the fork a little inside. He didn't really seem interested in sharing all his secrets with her.  
“Let's make a deal.”  
Surprised, she raised an eyebrow. Actually, she had expected to have him beaten to the next city, not with an agreement.  
“What do you suggest?”  
“We will stay here until early next year and are waiting to learn more. At the moment there seems to be a wild hustle and bustle on this island, which is why it wouldn't be very smart to go into the middle and search for things. We just wait until our time has come. It won't be long before next year, which is why we can show patience a few months.”  
“And then you will follow me everywhere without a repentance?”  
“You have the card, you take the lead.”  
Thoughtfully, she placed the index finger on her chin.  
“Isn't that terribly boring? We wait a few months and get bored? You're not exactly the guy who's going to sit down and read a book.”  
“I'm ready to take the boring phase in as long as I get my will, Shiba. Don't worry about me,” he muttered sweetly. She hadn't expected to spend time with him when boredom came. He was unbearable when he had nothing to do.

“Besides,” he continued, “this is an ideal opportunity to get to know each other better.”  
There it was. The worst statement of all. He would joker about her for the next months, until the New Year. Until they left the city, he would be allowed to joke after another. He was a clown who was out of debate.  
On the other hand, it was a good idea to spend so much time with him. So she could get used to him and learn to give him a hand when he was planning something stupid again.  
“All right, I'll go with you. How long will we wait?”  
“Three, maybe four months.”  
She just nodded. There was enough time to study him better.


	33. Conjuncture

She turned to her hind man.  
“Hisoka, move!”  
“I'm walking as fast as I can ...”  
“You have been creeping around like an old man since the beginning!”  
“You're so harsh ...”  
“And you useless!”

Shaking her head, she turned back toward the path. She'd passed through the time in Dorias better than she'd thought. He allowed only half as many jokes as she had originally assumed.  
Nevertheless, it was enough to drive her mad on so many days. But with each passing month he got quieter. Boredom had silenced him, which is why he spent most of the time sitting around somewhere and staring holes in the air.  
Shiba learned quite quickly how she had to handle him in some cases, but he remained a mystery when it came to his mood swings. They came, they went and they always left a new mess in her head.

No sooner had it been over three months, she reminded him of the deal they had done before. He was not very enthusiastic about going to another city, but he obeyed. Apparently, he was of the opinion that they wouldn't find an answer in other areas of the island. If she had understood him correctly, there were others who were looking for the exorcist. Perhaps he thought they'd snap their target when they found it.  
She, on the other hand, couldn't stand the turmoil in Dorias any longer, so she was very glad they were finally going.

“Shiba?” Asked the voice of the Trickster behind her. They walked several meters apart, as he took a very leisurely step.  
“What do you want?”  
“Let's talk about something.”  
She thought about a topic briefly. She had recently received a message from Netero. For a long time she hadn't heard from him, so she was all the more surprised that he wrote her so suddenly. He had only mentioned that he was pleased with the people she had gathered as friends. He also mentioned that one of her friends, Killua, had now passed the Hunter exam.  
She didn't know why he knew she was more or less in touch with him, but she was happy for the boy. After all, he certainly had talent. The way he behaved and his appearance, was a sign of how much confidence he had in his abilities.  
“The Hunter exams have recently been held.”  
“I know. What about it?”  
“Killua has participated and earned his license.”  
Now she heard an interested hum grow behind her. Probably it had raised his interest a bit, at least he also had a connection to the two.  
“Besides, we haven't agreed where we are going.”  
“You just wanted to leave and I follow you. You have the card, remember?”  
Shortly she looked back. He still had the leisurely step, while he held his eyes on her.  
“Nearby is the city of Aiai. According to information, there are all the love stories that can be imagined. It is the city of love.”  
“Love, huh?”  
She could hear his steps getting faster. He moved up to her, so much was clear.

“Let's take a break. We've been walking around for quite some time,” he was close behind her when he spoke.  
“You're unbelievable,” she said, puzzling, she stopped and looked around. The temperature had risen somewhat. Perhaps there was something comfortable in the neighbourhood, where they could take a break.  
Before she could pursue further thoughts, Hisoka had already taken the lead and made his way across the undergrowth into the forest. Shaking her head, she followed him. She didn't know what he was up to, but when he was thinking about the same thing, he was looking for a place to rest.

♦ ♣ ♦

An hour passed, she followed him, banging some branches around her legs and leaving scratches. Her partner seemed to be spared from these problems. He kept moving forward, across a last bush, to a free spot.  
Even from a little further away, Shiba could already see that the view appeared foggy. The reason for this was the water that stretched before them. With difficulty, she climbed over the last obstacle and stopped beside Hisoka.  
“A hot spring?” She looked around in amazement.  
As white haze came up from the water, very probably vapour, it could only be hot. But she wouldn't have expected to find a hot spring in a game.

A little more relaxed, she went ahead again and sat down on a stone, near the water. The steam was a good way to get the airways free, which was quite good for the health. If they were to spend a while in this place, it was certain that they would feel better when they followed their way later.

“Looks like a good place, for a little break.”  
“All right,” she said, turning to the Trickster, which immediately pissed her off. He had already taken off his clothes on the top and got rid of his strange bracelets.  
“What are you doing?”  
“I plan to take a bath. Who knows when we'll find a hot spring next time?” As he was, he gave her his things and went to open his pants.  
“You know I'm sitting here?”  
“You wanted to watch the next time. Here is your possibility.”  
The peculiar grin as he pulled his pants down made her look away. She had seen him already naked, but watching him as he undressed felt even more embarrassing.  
She felt how he put the rest of his clothes on her lap. He might have put the shoes next to her. Shortly she glanced in his direction. Carefully he stepped past her, into the spring. The water only got a little over his knees, but he seemed to enjoy it. She watched as he washed his face, pulled the bungee gum out of his hair and massaged the roots of it with his wet hands. Sighing, she put her head in the palm of her hand and put on her legs. She pressed his clothes to her upper body. She hadn't noticed it before, but he had a very pleasant smell.

“Did you know that hot springs help to heal injuries faster?”  
“Yes, why?”  
“Didn't you catch one or the other scratch on the way here?”  
In embarrassment, she could feel her blood walling up in her cheeks. He'd actually noticed that she had hurt herself a little here and there. His attention made her somehow happy. That's why Shiba stood up and put her partner's clothes where she'd been sitting before. She took off her shoes and went a few steps into the warm liquid. It reached to her thighs, so she had to raise her dress a bit.  
“Why do you make it so complicated to you?” His eyes turned away from her, as he washed his shoulders.  
“How else can I do it?”  
He gave her no answer, and she quickly realized what he was talking about.  
“No way!”  
“You don't allow me any pleasure ..,” sighed, he went into the crouch to be able to wash his shoulders better.  
“I don't do? I'm pretty good to you.”  
“Not as a woman.”

Loudly moaning, so the redhead turned to her, she took a course on him. At the same time, she knotted her dress on the side, so that she again got both hands free. He watched her.  
Behind him, she stopped and placed both hands on his shoulders. With some pressure and yet gently, she began to massage his muscles. At the same time, she sent out a certain impulse of her own. It should help to completely relax his body and give him some more strength depending on how exhausted he was.  
A deep groan escaped his throat before he put his head aside with pleasure. He seemed to like it, so he let his shoulders hang a little to lose himself completely in her hands.  
“Okay then...”  
Her hands wandered to his shoulder blades, to his upper arms, across the ribs, back to his spine. At this point, she exerted pressure only at certain points. Hisoka kept his head hanging, so that she could work his whirls up to the hairline. No sooner had she stimulated the last of them, she took a step back.

“You're going to stop?”  
“I'm not going to spoil you the next few hours. Thirty minutes must be enough for you today.”  
“We have to repeat this again,” he purred as he rose again. Shiba, however, found her way out of the water and slipped back into her shoes. Shortly afterwards she sat down again on a stone and let her legs dangle. She had become more or less accustomed to him.

Just as she wanted to ask him something, a voice came out of the mist.  
“Hisoka ?!”  
Confused, she looked around before she spotted the little squad, who was relatively close to the water.  
“Gon? Killua?” Barely had she pronounced the names, four heads turned in her direction.  
“Shiba?”  
“What are you doing here?”  
“What are you doing with Hisoka?”  
“Oh? We seem to have guests,” at the same time they all turned to her partner. He had simply turned to them and presented his body in full splendor. She could understand that he had nothing to hide, but she still didn't understand how he could do this without any shame.  
“So you got in here under this name,” she heard Killua mutter.  
Certainly they had expected someone else, named Chrollo Lucilfer. Hisoka, on the other hand, took less and less time for his "visit" and fell fully and completely into his hunting drive. One of his eyes twitched dangerously as he lifted his hand and showed them to come closer. In doing so, he excreted so much of his murderous aura that the water began to beat waves. Not very high, but it had its effect.

“You have actually grown a little,” to give his words a little more depth, he let his body run free, which meant that he got an erection that stood high up. She watched as the two boys' eyes widened in horror as they stared at his best. She watched the scenario. She knew how to feel about this situation.  
“Who is this pervert?”  
The waves settled slowly. An adult man at the side of the guys, seemed quite disturbed by Hisoka's appearance. On the other hand, there was another person, who had acted rather happy than disgusted. The Trickster let his eyes wander, with Shiba hanging on to the little girl who was squatting every inch of his body. She looked quite young, relatively in the age of both boys. Her blond hair and the pink, dark-colored dress, obviously aimed to go for the cute image.  
As the Trickster turned to her, she turned slightly away from him. She gave all sorts of undefined murmurs so that Shiba could only hit her forehead in thoughts.

Sighing, Hisoka rose out of the water and went back to dress. He didn't seem to want to give them a look any longer, which made her feel a little easier. He still had a touch of decency.  
“So what now? What do you want from me ... no, what do you want from Chrollo?”  
“I have a question,” Gon didn't seem particularly serious, but it seemed to him to be busy.  
“Why are you here?”  
When asked, the Trickster turned his gaze to the crowd. It occurred to her that he hesitated visibly with the answer. He turned away again, closed his eyes for a moment before finding suitable words. Pulling back his hair to see better, his sharp eyes reached out to them.  
“I'm looking for Chrollo. There is a way to remove Kurapika's Nen.”  
“You can undo it.”  
“As I see, you knew about it. This makes it easier. I'm looking for Chrollo to give him this information, but I have no clues where he is. That was the moment when I remembered that some spiders were interested in this game. I thought maybe they'd know where Chrollo was at the moment. And by choosing this name, I am sure that they will come to me.”  
Curiously Shiba's pointed her ears. Not only did he lied perfectly why they were in Greed Island, he had also said other interesting things. The spiders were the members of the phantom group, which meant he might know them. When she went through her head, she didn't even know from where he knew Chrollo. That he was in any way related to the spiders was not so absurd. This also meant that he certainly knew where the woman with whom she had led a fight was hiding. Her injuries were now healed, but the desire for a second fight was still burning.

“I understand. He just pretended he was a member of the phantom group.”  
Perplexed, she looked in Killua's direction. Hisoka had actually been at the side of the spiders. Whimpering, she tilted her head. If only she had known that before.

“Now I'm going to ask. Surely you didn't come to ask me about this, did you?” Waiting, he held a hand to his hip.  
“I did,” Gon replied quite quickly, so Killua let his head hang. Probably he wanted more.  
“Excuse me?” The young girl mingled herself out of nowhere. “We are currently looking for really strong players. Wouldn't you help us?” She pleated her hands on the chest and looked up with a gaze that wanted to seduce Hisoka. The blonde knew her strength clearly.  
“Hm? Okay,” unimpressed by her performance, he replied without thinking great, which again tempted Shiba to hit his head.  
“Why are you looking for strong people?”  
“You agree, and only then ask? ... What is wrong with you?” Growled at him, she stood up.  
“Wait a moment ... I'm against this!” The small group found themselves uncertain what the Trickster used to turn to Shiba.  
“Why not? We're bored, we have no clue, and it doesn't hurt to help others, does it?” Quietly, but for her understandably, he explained his point. On the one hand she could understand him. Together, they could hold the spectacle half-way over water without drowning in boredom. One way to deal with something which was quite tempting.

“You don't know who he is Bisky!”  
“Oh, but that isn't true. I can feel that he has a very friendly character.”  
Silently sputtering, Shiba held her hand to her mouth. That was the best thing she'd heard for a long time.  
“She's lying to one hundred percent.”  
“Don't you think I'm nice? Just think how I saved you ...”  
“A really nice person is not lying ...”  
“You think she looked through us?”  
“You have to attribute that to yourself.”  
Inquiring, he looked at her and thoughtfully put a finger to his lips.  
“Were you not something like my Support? Do something.”  
“You damn ..,” she didn't come to finish her sentence as the squad fell into her word.  
“So, are you ready? We need more players to get ahead.”  
“As I said, I like to come along.”  
“And what about Shiba? As we can see, you decided to donate Hisoka support,” Killua turned to her to convince herself that she would also provide help.  
“What?! Shiba, really?” While Gon seemed just completely overwhelmed by the situation.  
“I follow. Don't worry. After all, I'm sitting with him in the same boat.”  
Nodding the young Hunter looked at her. If she was unlucky, he would ask her if the clown had told the truth and she wasn't the best in lying.

“We should go to the city of love, which is nearby. Aiai. It is a great place to meet new people. Maybe you can find some strong players there.”  
Perplex she looked at Hisoka. Even in such a situation, he was only out for fun.


	34. They are everywhere!

He wanted to go to Aiai. A lover's paradise, which would provide for entertainment throughout.  
Visibly, she had made the right decision to tell him that they were going there. Perhaps there was also one or the other happening to them there.  
Shortly she looked at Gon and Killua, who were walking in front of her. She found herself in the second row next to Hisoka. Behind them the young girl and the other man.  
She still didn't know why the Trickster had lied to the two at the front. Was it the way they would possibly react if they knew the truth?  
“Hisoka?” Whispering softly to him, she held her gaze straight ahead. He didn't answer, but she felt that he was turning his attention to her.  
“How do you know Gon and Killua?”  
“I met them last year in the Hunter exams. How so?”  
Thoughtfully, she folded her arms in front of her chest. He knew them longer than she did, which is why he could better calculate their reactions. He could certainly imagine how they would react when he served them the truth.

She kept sinking into her thoughts. All in all, she could not really understand exactly where her own position was. The two children were clearly nicer than the Trickster. But she was his support. Besides, she tried to trust him more, or less, in some things. Not at all, because he would probably trick her, but in many. That's why it was important to find out if the squad planned anything.  
The little girl seemed to be clever and to see the facades of others. It was definitely a kind of problem.  
“Shiba? Is everything all right?” Frightened by the unfamiliar voice beside her, she shrank. Shortly afterwards she looked to her right, on which Hisoka was supposed to be. This one, however, was completely missing and was replaced by Killua.  
“Woah, you're not getting anything, are you?”  
“What am I to get?”  
“Forget it. Rather, how do you get Hisoka's support?”  
Sighing, she looked forward, discovering the clown who was now walking in front of her.  
“I wanted to get into this game because there is something I want to have. But as you know, we're supporting others. I wouldn't survive all this time alone, and I thought to myself, I ask Hisoka if he will come with me.”  
“And he just agreed?”  
Shortly she bit her lower lip. She had to pull herself together.  
“Yes. As he said, he was looking for Chrollo and was therefore interested in this game.”  
“That makes no sense. Why should Hisoka simply take you with him if he were better off alone? He is not the type for spontaneous, joint trips that go on in the long run. You two have certainly been here for quite some time, haven't you?” He gazed at her from top to bottom.  
“Listen, Killua. Hisoka and I get along better than you think and he took me with him because I'm in his debt and he can use me for whatever he's planning.”  
The questions which he asked her annoyed her. She didn't quite know what to say, so as not to cause any trouble. Chrollo had helped her make the Trickster to her Hunter. At least for a while. She wanted him as a Support because nobody else was left. Of course, he had rejected her, but she couldn't tell Killua this information. Also, she couldn't tell much of Chrollo.  
She paused.  
Why not?  
Although she was with Hisoka, it didn't mean that she couldn't lie.

“Shiba ... I doubt it really is the truth.”  
“Yes, it's only half the truth, I know.” She lowered her voice a little more.  
“I don't want to start a turmoil, Killua. Forgive me. Currently, Chrollo has taken me to Hisoka.”  
“That means, Hisoka lied?”  
“No. I gave myself a part of my future from Lady Neon Nostrade. This said that I would meet Chrollo Lucilfer. This is how it happened. He was also given a prophecy, as it seemed, that he was sure that he could easily trust me. Hisoka wants to fight him, but thanks to Kurapika, he has no strength to fight back. So he gave me an offer. He makes sure that I get Hisoka to support and I lure him on a wrong path.”  
Probably she was a far better liar than she thought she would be. Her neighbours' eyes widened before he nodded heavily.  
“He will kill you when he finds it out.”  
“And that's exactly why he will never know.”  
She pretended not to be able to get anything out of her plan. She kept her Hunter in mind. They had both lied, which made her no better than him. The more time she spent with the Trickster, the more she got like him. When had it begun that she would never let him run into the open knife? Previously, she felt that she simply didn't want to fail as a Support in the fight. Otherwise, he could take care of himself.  
And now she ran alongside Killua and told a clean lie.  
“If ... you ever need a proper Hunter ...”, the white-haired guy once more addressed a topic, “then you can join Gon and me. I think you would fit us very well.”  
A smile came over her.  
“For sure. I will remember it.”

♦ ♣ ♦

The road to the city of love wasn't even an hour away from the springs, so they reached the place very quickly. A few yards behind the entrance, they stopped. The interior was somewhat as lively as the city of Antokiba. Everywhere super-cute girls walked around, or good-looking men, some of whom were in Shiba's field of vision. It wasn't forbidden to look a little for the other sex.

“So, how do we start with the search?” Gon had hardly cast his question into the round when the man behind her was bumped by a girl. She fell to the ground, slipping the toast out of her mouth which came to the ground with the coated side.  
“I'm sorry”, helplessly he bent down a little to her.  
“It should! What's the problem with you ?!” She stood up furiously, tapped off her skirt and held out her tongue. After this action, she ran straight past him.  
“What...?”  
“Normally you shouldn't have apologized. Your task would have been to say that she should be careful. After that, you would have started a discussion, who is now on the right.” Hisoka instructively raised his index finger, whereupon Shiba just shook her head.  
Why did he know how to react correctly in such a situation? Did he have a secret weakness for Otome games, in which he also had to deal with such girls?  
But the thought of sitting in front of such a game made her imagine the wildest fantasies.

“Can I help you in any way?”  
Asking, Shiba turned to her rear man. In front of her was a very handsome young man, according to her taste. His black, half-bony hair was neatly combed and gave a nice look at his fine face. Besides a pair of glasses, which made him look a little better, he had a smile that made her heart beat a little higher. When had she only last seen such a handsome man? Dressed in a black suit, he came closer to her until he was standing in front of her.  
“Are you looking for something, young lady?”  
“I think I've just found it.” An attempt to provoke attraction could not hurt.  
“Are you trying to flirt with me?”  
“Maybe?”  
“What a lascivious young lady. Excuse me.” As arrogant as possible, he straightened his glasses and turned away from her.  
“What the...?”  
“Don't worry about it. You could only have done anything wrong, so that was at least a decent start,” encouraged the clown her while looking over her shoulder.  
“What are we doing here? Why are we here?” Desperately, the other man in the group walked back a few yards.  
“What? Here at least it won't be boring,” Hisokas smile seemed tired. Somehow he seemed a little finished.  
“We're going!” Gon turned around and steered to the exit. Without further comments, the rest followed him, with Shiba coming only to the archway.

“Hey? Sweety, hey?” She looked around, puzzled until her gaze fell on a figure in the shadow. As soon as she had noticed him, he had already appeared. He didn't look bad, being the absolute opposite of his predecessor. Long brown hair, loosely tied together, as she had once seen at William. To this a few bright, if appropriate, clothes. He looked a little more like the bad boy from next door, from whom parents warned again and again.  
“What is it?” She replied rather clumsily.  
“You are sweet. I just saw how you were left by that idiot. Forget him, he's a little jammed.”  
“It's not as if I had fallen in love.”  
“Anyway. All the girls here are the same, but you're truly unique. Beside your beauty, let your weapons suggest you have a bite.”  
“Oh ... please ... not …,” a quick look ahead. The others were already ahead of her, while she was stopped by a wannabe charmer. “I have no time for such games. This game makes me sick. Playboys, girls with toast, male lawyers with glasses. I'm done here!”  
She just turned around as she was seized by the wrist.  
“I don't play. I am really enchanted by you.” With each sentence, he came closer. He steered for a kiss. Shortly before her lips, he stopped.  
“Let me show you that I mean it.”  
“Wa-like ...”  
“Excuse me?”  
Confused, the man looked up from her. Before he knew it, someone had already punched him so hard in the face that he struck a clean spin through the air and came forward with his face on the hard stone floor. Completely shocked by this sight, she turned around.  
“Hisoka?!”  
“You let us wait. We don't have time to wait until you're ready to flirt.” His poisonous undertone didn't escape her, as he hung up one of his sugary smiles.  
“You shouldn't have hit him!”  
“He belongs to the pushy sort. He would have followed you all the way if you hadn't done anything. This is perfectly normal. In this scenario, you will only be able to get rid of the player if there is a brawl around the girl.”  
“And you thought, you could step in. I could have done it alone.”  
“For sure? Before or after he slipped his tongue into your-”  
“It's okay!” She turned from him, nearly crimson red in the face.  
“Thank you …,” she still gently hung on her sentence, but he had heard what she could interpret by his charming noises in the background.

Without a glance, she went back to the group. They waited in a spot and discussed possible candidates for help.  
“Hey, Hisoka. Let's take a look at your book,” Gon pointed out a question to the Trickster. She saw him standing beside her.  
“You just say 'book' and then it opens. You can see on the side, which people you've crossed.”  
“Okay.”  
Amazingly, he agreed. She didn't let him out of her sight for a moment. He opened the book and pushed the necessary buttons to get to the list of crossed players. She saw a lot of names. Just before Gon came around to take a look at the book, Hisoka put a finger on the black surface and led it along the names. Some of them changed. Perplexed, she looked at him before she raised her head to look at him.  
As Gon looked at the book, the Trickster hid his hand behind his back. She could see clearly that something pink was stuck on his fingertip.  
She said nothing, just glanced at him.  
When the grasshopper made an exclamation that attracted Killua, he took the opportunity to give her a wink. He lied intentionally, this part she understood from the beginning. Much less did she understand why he let her participate in his strategy.  
What was the reason for this? 


	35. Match Game - Stage 1

A building, standing on a cliff, this was the goal.  
After some looking, they had actually found enough players. According to the squad's description, they needed enough players to win a round of Dodgeball at the end. Altogether, with all the tasks, it took fifteen participants since everyone could only be used once.  
Coming back to Hisoka, she looked at the group. The guys had really scrapped everything together they could get. None of them seemed really strong, and it had to be something specific when they were looking for exactly the opposite.  
Unsure she looked up at the building. It looked like one of the spooky castles from creepy films. Only that there must be a sports hall, or similar, inside. How else did they plan to start a ball game? One stone floor with traps and a lot of possibilities to die?

A sigh overcame her. Somehow she didn't necessarily have a good feeling about the matter. She was not nearly as enduring as her partner. She preferred fast battling and, above all, as little sports as possible.

♦ ♣ ♦

“The last game is a ball game. Eight, towards eight.”

Perplexed, she found herself in the middle of nothingness. The other players had taken care of the first sporting missions, and the team was superior to them. She was a little like Hisoka in this kind of thing. It didn't interest her. But the situation changed at once. She only saw as half of her team ran away, and the guy who came to the springs with 'Bisky' conjured up a monkey to get enough members.  
Her opponent, Razor his name, also had seven players, from Nen, for the game. He killed one of his own teammates so that the others left frightened. Her attention had started somewhere in the middle of a misfire, and she hadn't arrived until she was on the field with her team.  
“Damn ...” She merely muttered something annoyed. She was forced to play along.

“I now explain the rules,” Razor started, who was calm about the situation. She couldn't quite understand what it was that he was intimidating her. He was far stronger than she had assumed and the tight sportswear made his tight muscles notice even more.  
“The game starts with a player outside and seven within the field. The team, which first has no players in the field, loses. Each player who is hit in the field by a ball of his opponent is out. It is possible to bring back one of these, in which he says 'Back'. If the ball comes up at a point outside the line, the opposing team gets a point. And now for the important part ...”  
Listening, she followed his words. It was the normal rules of a ball game.  
“Dropping the players has a special effect. For example, if I throw a ball that hits a person but then bounces and hits another player before touching the ground, both are out. If the second person is able to catch the ball before it falls to the ground, both players are safe and may remain in the field.  
However, when I throw the ball and hit a player of yours, it bounces and still meets a player from my team before he hits the ground, only the player from my team will fly out.”  
“Does this mean that if the player from your team catches the ball, our member will fly out?”  
“Exactly.”

The only thing Shiba could keep was the fact that she couldn't drop the ball. When she looked at Gon, everything else didn't make any sense. He seemed completely overwhelmed with the rules.  
“Are there any questions?”  
“If a player outside the field throws the ball at someone in the field and hits, the hit one is out too, isn't he?”  
“Naturally. But a player can only return to the field when he used 'back',” smiling, Razor threw the ball to the judge to watch the course. She couldn't do more than breath deeply. If she looked at the whole thing, this game could only be hard.  
The team chose the monkey, who was summoned to sit outside.

All went into position before the fight for the victory was opened. The referee threw the ball high, which immediately used Killua to jump. The players on the other hand, however, were already jumping back. They didn't even bother to get the ball first.  
The young Hunter hit the ball to one of the men in the field. Besides Hisoka, there were now two of them. Someone with a beard, named Tsezguerra and the guy who had been around for quite some time and also caught the ball. At some point, she had caught up with his name Goreinu.

“You sound pretty confident. I guess you'll get a nice greeting here!” He was way too arrogant to assess his enemy. He took a good run and threw the ball with a lot of force on the opposing team. He met one of them in the middle of his face, which therefore fell directly to the ground.  
While Goreinu was pleased with this successful start with Killua, she was much more concerned about the happenings. One could have dodged the ball. It wasn't that hard.  
The monkey threw the ball back to the team and allowed the second run. This also went without problems and brought one of their opponents out of the field.  
They set for a third litter.  
In the meantime, Razor had positioned himself and announced that he was ready to defeat them all. On this little provocation, Goreinu jumped directly and fixed a part of his Nen around the ball. He threw exactly in the direction of the muscle pack. Razor seemed quick to notice that the ball was nothing special and caught him with only one hand. It shocked most of the team, but not everyone. She had seen it coming and Hisoka watched the scene quietly.

The opposing team was ready for the attack. The ball was devoured by a pretty dark purple Nen. The next throw would probably also be quite hard.  
He didn't even go to the line. Razor was just standing at the end of his own field, brought himself into position and took out the ball. A few seconds later, the ball flew like a bullet through the room to Goreinu. He seemed so shocked at the fast attack that he couldn't move. His body seemed frozen.  
He just barely escaped the ball through an exchange with his beast. It happened so quickly that she only had to close her eyes once before he was no longer on the spot. Instead, his white monkey hit the target. The ball had so much force that he simply tore the animal's head away.  
Blood spurted and evaporated in the air as the enormous body fell to the ground and dissolved. After all, he had only been made from Nen, which meant they didn't have to fight with a corpse.  
By the way, the ball bounced off, so that he landed again in the hands of their opponents.

Goreinu found himself outside the field. In a panic, he sucked in the air and pushed it out loud.  
No sooner was it assured that everything had taken place within the framework of the rules, the game went on. They threw the ball at a very threatening pace. From the field to the outside, to the other side, back into the field. It was like a quadrangle, which forced her own team to move closer together.  
She barely got in, as the ball just past her. She could still hear someone calling the name of the man wearing a military uniform. Quickly she turned to him. The ball hit him on the side.  
Fortunately, he had reacted quickly to bring his Nen to this place. It didn't bring much protection, but enough to not kill him. Rather, he received the ball and then fell to the ground with a pained sound.  
He breathed heavy, shaking.

“If a participant can no longer play, he is disqualified,” the judge said, which is why Tsezguerra tried to find a place to sit.  
Killua was the one who held the ball next. Concentrated, he tripped it on the ground.  
“Hisoka!” Gon already sounded almost commanding.  
“Okay, give me the ball,” he said, stretching out a hand to the boy, who quickly noticed what they were up to. It was really easy to understand. Hisoka's Bungee Gum was extremely helpful in a situation like this.  
In fact, he threw off one by one, leaving Razor out. Thanks to his elastic love, the ball always came back to him.  
“Now try to entertain me. This is certainly not everything you have to offer.” Now the Trickster also provoked more than he should. She couldn't help but pray for his survival. His predecessor would almost have killed the same arrogance.  
Even if they had already reduced the team to three, Razor was anything but a simple opponent. The fact that Hisoka let the ball dangle from his index finger in his chewing gum made it no better.  
The others seemed very confident about what he was doing. That's exactly why Killua asked a new question.  
“Can the last player use the 'Back' field, exactly the second when he is hit by the ball?”  
“This is not possible. The number of players would be zero for a moment and this means that the team loses. However, a player can use 'Back' from the outside, the second in which the last player is hit in the field.”  
“Okay. Hisoka ...”  
“Yes, I understand.”  
She looked from one to the other. What did her partner understand?  
“We'll take it to the end.”  
One could have thought that he was the only one who could think that she had not understood him.

Again, Hisoka threw the ball. With the strength behind it, it was certain that none of the opponents could catch him. However, something strange happened.  
Before the ball reached its goal, the two other players, alongside Razor, merged to form a stronger, more robust body. This was quite capable of catching Hisoka's ball without problems.  
The smile wiped from his face, her Hunter tried to pull the ball back. To all his abundance, however, his opponent was stronger, so he broke his bungee gum.  
“Is that allowed?” Killua pointed angrily at the player who had just emerged from two.  
“Absolutely.”  
“Is it allowed to split up?”  
“Yes. However, you must not exceed the number of players on the field.”  
“I'm back with the attack,” Razor announced. The man who threw balls like cannon balls.  
Uncertainty, they all walked back a little.  
“Ken!” Gon as well as Killua prepared for the defensive. They wrapped their bodies in aura to protect them if the ball got them. She, too, prepared herself a little for the coming. A little to her knees, she shifted her weight to the toes. She raised her arms to her chest. It was a position that allowed her to move quickly and flexible.  
Razor noticed with a wide grin that everyone was absolutely mindful. For this reason, his next shot got even more brutally than the others before. He went further, moved more weight into his legs and threw. The ball hit Gon, who held him with his arms and was swept out of his shoes. The bullet-like ball bounced off and hit the ceiling as Gon flew a few yards out of the field.  
Killua, like the little girl, ran after him, full of horror.

“How stupid this boy is ...” She looked disbelievingly, as they discussed something.  
“Do you think?”  
“It was obvious that he couldn't hold the ball. It was a waste of players. What do we get from it? Gon is outside and I'm very sure, as he ticks, he'll use 'Back'.”  
“Do you think someone else would be more suitable?” The Trickster held a hand to the waist.  
“You, for example. You are at least helpful.”  
“If this is so,” he took a step beside her, “then I just can't fly out.”


	36. Match Game - Stage 2

“All right. Anyway, you don't use ' _Back_ ' before we have only two players left in the field!” She could hear Bisky talking to Gon while they were going back into the field.  
Since the boy had wound his head, he was being treated by two team members, while the game continued.  
Killua and Goreinu began to pass to each other. Since it wasn't against the rules, they bought enough time, until Gon appeared ready again for use.  
As soon as Gon announced that everything was okay, Goreinu started.  
“I'm the kind of guy who doesn't forget. Get ready, Razor!”  
He stepped back, took off, and aimed at Razor. But something had changed. Shiba hadn't noticed how he had manipulated slowly, bit by bit, the field. Nor did the others notice. From one second to the other, he had switched the positions of the remaining players, so that the Nen teammate was now in the position of Razors. The latter, on the other hand, hadn't seen it coming and realized too late that he was in the wrong position. Goreinu threw his ball and hit his goal in the middle of the face.  
“That's what you get! You're out!”  
Sighing, she watched the incident. Sure, they had hit Razor, but he too could use ' _Back_ '. He would consume it, but how long would it take to get him out of the field again?  
The ball threatened to come outside the field, which meant that he remained in their possession. However, their opponents seemed to not allow this. The giant grabbed another Nen player in the field, which had visibly escaped her eyes. He was so small and insignificant that she hadn't noticed him.  
He threw him behind the ball, so he could catch it before it fell to the ground. In flight, the little fellow, with the number two on the cap, threw it back into the field, into the hands of his thrower. He caught, took a swing and before Goreinu saw it coming, the ball was already in his face. The hit was strong enough to turn him down.  
“You have an interesting ability. You should use it wisely.” While Razor now held the ball again in his hands, Bisky switched on the behavior to quite annoyed.  
“Just a moment! What was that?”  
“Hm? There is no rule that you can't pass the ball to your opponent. In addition, it is allowed to throw people in the face. So his attack was legal. If the ball touched the ground, I'd be out.”  
“Clever ...” Shiba murmured to herself as she watched the Nen detach himself from the opposing field.  
“If he regains consciousness, he can go back into the game. However, I don't think that will happen.”  
“If the inner players are reduced to zero before Goreinu wakes up, the game is decided.” From the edge, the referee also gave his statement, which the team only doubted. The blow that her member had collected had been hard enough to hold him down for a while.

There were now four against three. Nevertheless, they were at a disadvantage.  
They had only placed Gon outside, which made a confusing pass impossible. Their opponents, on the other hand, had formed a stable team around them. The coming attacks could come from anywhere.  
Razor was still in the field, but he didn't have to use his ' _back_ '.  
And they had the ball.

“Well then...”  
He announced his attack, so they all had the opportunity to get in position. He took a run, to the edge of the line, which was quite unusual. After all, he had thrown from his point of view before.  
“Who is this time?2 He asked his question before the ball flew out of his hands. In their field. He threw him like a bowling ball, right to Killua. The young boy froze for a second before he realized how critical his situation was.  
He just dodged, while the bullet struck a curve. One might think the ball would be controlled. It flew to Bisky, which could also evade at the right moment. Shiba took an example of her and had already jumped up before the blonde had jumped to the side. Thus, Hisoka remained the last stop it was heading for.  
He also responded in time, and she could see from the top how surprised he was about the sudden appearance of the ball of leather.  
He stuck a leg behind, bending down backward far enough so that the attack snapped past his throat.  
But he seemed to be the goal.  
The Trickster hadn't even caught himself when one of the other players already held the ball in his hands and swung out. A second surprise effect, Hisoka only snatched air. Protectively, he placed a hand on the face, which he supported with the forearm of the other arm. Simultaneously with the ball's impact in his palm, he uses his bungee gum to avoid major damage and weaken the swing.  
All of these things happened so fast that everyone was still halfway through the maneuver while Hisoka slid across the field to hold the ball. As soon as he had come to a stop, Bisky came back on the floor, after her jump to the side. Shiba herself landed next to her, throwing only a worried look at her Hunter.  
He seemed to have struck his own hand against the head while holding. Blood ran down his eyebrow, just as it leaked from his nose. It wasn't serious. There wasn't much bruising, and everything that had run over his lips he just licked up.

“Bisky is outside!” Came the judge's side. They were looking at her. She had actually been caught, or at least her clothes.  
“Please go outside.”  
“Hasn't she dodged?”  
“I'm to blame myself. It means your clothes count as part of your body, right?”  
It had caught a part of her dress, which was now completely missing. It seemed as if it had just been torn out.  
Slowly she stepped out of the field. They were only three, which also seemed to care for Gon. She barely crossed the white line when Gon took ' _Back_ ', and went back to the field. It gave Shiba a low moan since she didn't really recognize this strategy as smart.  
“Is everything all right?” Also, Killua was concerned about the whole situation and inquired first about Gon.  
“I've found something out,” as his voice was, Shiba's partner came across and straight to the point.  
“When the ball comes out of the field in flight, it becomes far less dangerous. Without the use of Ko, I have only injured two fingers.”  
Her eyes widened in horror. There were no words for what he was looking at. They were completely damaged. Clearly broken and swollen at the same time. Without listening to Killua's observation, she watched as the clown straightened the bones in his fingers. A nasty crackling sounded, which made her slightly flinch.  
“Hisoka, you should have your fingers bandaged.”  
“It's all right?”  
“Have your fingers bandaged!”  
Sighing, he raised his hand to her nose and moved the two fingers, who previously were completely destroyed, as if nothing had ever happened. They were still a bit swollen, but his bones seemed to be going well.  
“Bungee Gum?”  
“Very well,” he smiled at her for a moment, probably thinking it would calm her down. While Gon and Killua were more or less involved in a debate about winning, she also took a deep breath to hold him a booth.  
“What do you think? You are much too careless to deal with your body. Look at this. Do you think your stupid bungee gum will hold your bones together? I have my doubts. You can't hold a ball like that. Let them bandage and listen to me! I am your support. Your well-being is my top priority!”  
“Support?” Also, Razor interfered in the conversation, which Hisoka used to sneak off the field and follow her request.  
“Yes, support. One of many, many Hunter classes. Now what?”  
“I've been thinking about it for some time now, but somehow, your appearance seemed familiar to me.”  
“We've never met before,” she said, her head crooked.  
“May I ask for your name? I doubt the name Hellgate, which you have given in this game, is your real one.”  
She thought briefly about his question. It wasn't as if it were a problem.  
“Shiba Erskine.”  
The grin, which followed her words, confused her. Somehow it indicated joy and rivalry in one. She was very sure that she had never seen him before.  
“Erskine, huh? There are clearly too many of you.”  
“What?”  
“It's not so long since I last saw one of you. Little beasts, with immense bite and hideous power. You have my respect. There was a rumor that there should be women in the house, apart from the mother. However, it is like watching the Zoldycks. You've never seen one of these girls.”  
“Shiba, is your family famous?” Gon turned away from his quarreling with Killua and walked a bit toward her. She, on the other hand, couldn't take her eyes from the man before him. She didn't know what he was talking about.

“I'm sorry, but I think you mistake me for someone. My last name may be Erskine, but I have no connection to such mysterious people,” she pointed to Hisoka. “He is the only one I know who can be called a mystery.”  
“Is that so? I think, then, I understand the statement of the young man who was here.”  
“Statement?”  
“People have a job in their lives. They are forced to find themselves. Everyone starts with the family. Some have to look for an abnormality in their home, while others have to find their home. Find the one that others find. This is how life plays and nobody gets around. Philosophical, right? I haven't understood it so far. I suppose they are looking for you since you are not looking for your home.”  
“I know my home. And I know my family. I must disappoint you.”  
His grin grew slightly broader. He was so sure she was wrong, that it confused her. She didn't understand why she was so upset. She certainly knew how she had grown up and especially with whom. Perhaps that was the point. With who? There was one thing that was missing and this could never make up for it. Was it the reason why everything went like this? Wouldn't it be a joke?  
Unfair, ever to have acted like that?

“Okay, I'm ready,” Hisoka spoke up before she slipped completely into her thoughts. The two fingers, which he had broken, were neatly bandaged. He couldn't move them so gracefully, but it would support his bones a little.  
“Then we can go on.” Also, Razor dropped the subject and went back into position.  
“I have a plan! Killua, go over there.” While Hisoka threw the ball at the young Hunter, Killua who was approaching strolled to the white center line of the field.  
“Now take the ball between your two hands and put yourself in a stable position. Hold it so that I can hit it.”  
“Okay.”  
As Gon commanded, he followed the instruction and seemed to understand what his friend planned.  
Gon also took a stable position and collected a lot of Nen in his fist.  
“First comes Stone!” He barely said his first sentence, formed his aura to a ball, about the size that fit exactly into his two hands. This object continued to hold on to his fist and radiated immense power. She watched as she widened her eyes in surprise.  
“Stone, paper, stone!” With the last "stone" that he spoke, he hit the ball with all that clenched force. It flew straight to Razor at a rapid pace from Killua's hands. But he did exactly the same as their opponents before. A few yards before the actual goal, he hit a bend and hit the biggest of the field. He tried to catch him with all the effort, but the blow was strong enough to push him, like Hisoka, across the ground. Shortly before the white line, he lost his balance and flew a few yards behind it, with his back first, on the ground. But it didn't slow down the swing and made sure that after the serve, he also turn around several times.  
“Number thirteen is outside. To catch the ball while you are out of the field is not allowed and does not count. The game continues, while the players from Team Gon get the ball.”

Facilitated exclamations from outside, the atmosphere relaxed a bit more. They had shown a good way to win, but not without costs. Killua put his hands in his pocket. It didn't look suspicious, as he usually hid them often. This time, however, there was a reason. Shiba had seen it and also a quick glance from the blonde told that it was noticeable to her.  
“Damn, that wasn't good enough!” Gon looked cursedly at his fist, which he still clenched. Probably he wanted to use more force, but he didn't get enough for the first time.

They went through the strategy a second time. Killua didn't show what pain he had.  
“Do you think he can do that?” She turned to her partner, who watched them intently.  
“Let us get a surprise...”  
Deeply concentrated, Gon collected his aura. Bringing it back to a point of usage and thus getting more attacking power in his next blow. It brought so much strength to it that part of his Nen flew like a tail behind the ball. It recalled a falling comet, on its way to strike properly.  
The goal this time was exactly on Razor determined.  
He concentrated his Nen on the feet, as well as on his hands and took a position, which reminded of a stand in the volleyball. He clearly took the ball, but couldn't hold it and pushed it upwards. Despite his preparations, he slipped away, fell over, and fell out of the field.  
Still, Shiba recognized his plans as ingenious. He used his own body to reduce the force that lay behind the ball. He wasn't outside yet.  
The ball still flew in the air and didn't yet seem to have reached its highest point, using Hisoka to bring it to himself. With his bungee gum, he pulled it into his hands, revealing the point where Razor was really out for the first time.  
“What a bad luck for you. You have to catch the ball, despite everything.”  
“As determined by the spring effect, Razor is out. Please go to the outside field.”  
The colossus muttered briefly before playing his trump card.  
“Back.”  
“Razor used ' _Back_ '! He stays on the field.”  
Again the guys cheered on the wall. They thought the table had turned and everything was in their favor. Shortly she looked around. Hisoka wasn't really in the mood to throw a ball neatly. It was even questionable whether he could hold the ball in his right hand.  
Gons attacks consumed an incredible amount of aura. He wouldn't be able to endure the game in the long run. Another blow like this and he probably wouldn't make anymore.  
She and Killua remained. The young boy was clearly hurt, what everyone except Gon had noticed. However, she wasn't really helpful in a game like this. Surely she had enough strength to throw, but against all the balls that had already flown through the area, she was quite void. Her abilities were more than useless in the field. The only thing she could do was to serve as a buffer and to protect Hisoka if Razor was to throw a ball at him.  
The team was everything, but not at the advantage.


	37. Match Game -Stage 3

Her gaze wandered across the field. How high were the chances that they could still win? No one had a lot of opportunities to defend themselves left.

“Time-out! I have a question.” As out of nowhere Tsezguerra raised his hand.  
“What is there?”  
“Can players choose to go outside?”  
“That does not violate the rules, but you can not return.”  
“All right, come here!” Determining, the man turned to them. Somewhat confused they all did as he said. The players in the field, as well as the ones outside, gathered in front of him.  
“Gon, when you come out of the field, I can hold the ball for you. Killua's hands can no longer be used. I doubt that he is in any condition to hold the ball for you. I know how to make a fast electronic conversion from Aura so I can protect my hands. I hold the ball and you can attack Razor from here. This is our only way to win.”  
He sweated terribly while setting up his offer. He himself was hardly in a condition to expose himself to such a thing. Sighing, she raised her hand.  
“I can hold the ball too. I only have my normal way of protecting, but it will work.”  
“We can't do that.” Killua didn't even think about it before he even expressed his opinion.  
“Why not?” Tsezguerra couldn't understand the way both Hunters were about to choose.  
“It wouldn't work. It wouldn't be as strong.”  
“This isn't the time to think about such things!” Coughed the man, falling to his knees. His ribs were quite damaged.  
“Don't exaggerate, old man. You've got a pretty big blow behind you. I am fine. I'm not nearly as hurt as you think.”  
“Then show me your hands.”  
“I'm fine.”

Against his will, Bisky grabbed him by the arm. Although he was resisting, she clearly seemed stronger, and shortly afterward one of his hands was pulled out of his pocket.  
What came to light was worse than probably everyone had assumed.  
His skin was torn in some places, which exposed the burned meat. But it didn't bleed, which had to be due to the enormous swelling. His hand was nearly twice as thick as usual, and she could see that his bones were not all sitting perfectly. He had probably broken them in some places.  
Because his blood didn't arrive properly against the swelling, his hand had turned blue. Probably he was not even able to feel all the pain properly since numbness had to be the main feeling.

“Do you see? He can feel nothing but pain.”  
“I can do that! I can take another ball. Gon, I can do it!”  
“This isn't possible! Gon, help me persuade him.”  
“I already knew …,” Gon sounded guilty. Although Shiba had actually expected that he hadn't noticed, it seemed to be the opposite case. He had noticed very well, he had just pretended not to notice it at all. Did he do it for Killua?  
“I knew that Killuas hands were at the end. Tsezguerra, I'm sorry, but I will not go outside. I need Killua to hold the ball. He is the only one who can do it! If Bisky, Shiba, or Hisoka would hold the ball, I probably couldn't use all my strength. The only reason I can focus on the ball is because Killua holds it for me.”  
A bit she wondered about his words, so she took a quick look at Hisoka. He hadn't smiled for a while, and he didn't really seem to be able to make an offensive comment.  
“Did you hear, old man? Go and get yourself a little rest.”  
“I understand. I count on you.”  
“Hisoka, give me the ball.” Before they could move back into the field, Bisky secured the first litter. No one knew what she was up to, but there was nobody really keen to hold on the ball.

As soon as they had all set themselves up again, she took off and threw. At first, the ball flew to Razor, but before he could receive it, it changed its trajectory and faced the last Nen player in the field. The latter tried to avoid it with a jump, but was hit on the foot. He took advantage of this last opportunity to kick the ball, which came up on the ground shortly thereafter. Far enough in the field to allow Razor the next litter.  
“Number two is out!”

“For the next litter, I also have a plan.” Gon seemed to have a lot of ideas for a game on life and death.  
“Pay attention. I'm standing in front and take the ball on. Killua stands behind me and gives me support so I don't fall back. Hisoka is positioned behind him and tries to help me catch it. Would it work?”  
“With my bungee gum, I'll take the swing out. This shouldn't be a problem.”  
“Do you think this will work? Razor throws like a madman.” They went into a very strange position, while Killua released his doubts.  
“Now that I wasn't so helpful, it leaves me. I will weaken the ball so that your work will be easier.”  
“You? Shiba?”  
“Even I can be useful ...” Sulking she looked in another direction.  
“We rely on you!”

Their opponent threw the ball high in the air. It was the starting shot for the last turn, for both sides. Concentrated, she collected her aura. She would use the same skill she used when she fired her pistols. At the beginning of the game, she had given the two gentlemen, who were not allowed to play from the outset, her sword, as well as the shotguns.  
It was a long time since she had to fight this way, but it was always good to refresh old things. Perhaps she would learn a little more. Hisoka, after all, was not easy to control.  
Just as Razor jumped up to hit the ball like a volleyball, she got ready. Her Nen wandered to the index finger and formed a ball, about the size of a tennis ball. She was aiming.  
He hit the ball and pushed it in her direction. Since she was standing in front of the boys, he first flew at her.  
“Counter!” She exclaimed, firing her Nen at the ball. It flew in exactly the same trajectory as it's goal. She quickly folded her hands and squeezed them together. Now it just depended on how well she could manipulate her Nen.  
The leather hit her aura, which didn't prevent the loud impact. One could see how her Nen deformed and pushed inwards. But it didn't break. With great difficulty she manipulated it to make it able to receive. She had used this ability before, but never to this extent. Also, she had never refined it, because Shiba used it very rarely.  
It was quite easy to understand.  
The bullets, which she fired at a counter, were more reminiscent of rubber than of shot projections. They were not capable of hurting people but were more likely to protect them. They were elastic enough to catch things, and spring back.  
Usually, she used this ability only when one shot at her and her sword was not within reach.

Her ball was pressed further and further together, and she stood with all the trouble. The ball was visibly lost in force and impact  
“Shiba, you can give it now!” Behind her, she heard Gon, who had also noticed that the ball would be much easier to take. That's why she moved aside and released the manipulation. It wasn't a second before her small blue ball broke. In free flight, the ball took course on the trio, which already expected it.  
A protective aura lied around the bodies of the guys, which ensured that even if they failed, no one could come to serious damage.  
With another bang, it hit on the group. Gon caught it, while Hisoka did everything he could to stop it. Killua tried his best to keep them from slipping. Nevertheless, the pressure pushed them a few meters across the field, causing their surroundings to be mistagged for a moment by a white smoke cloud. As soon as it was distorted, the planned project turned out to be a success. They had the ball stopped.

Directly the two boys decided to take the usual pose again to hurl the ball against Razor.  
Again, Gon opened his aura, but it did not last long. In a bright light, a dome of orange Nen surrounded him. It was unbelievable to watch him rise, as if he were the sun. It was a moment that even Hisoka conjured up an excited smile on his lips.  
In her eyes, he was no longer a boy, with an enormous potential. So she understood the interest of her partner. If Gon trained well, he would later become a feared man.  
He collected his entire aura in his fist, as he had done twice before. However, it was so much at once that even these began to rotate around his fist. The brightness diminished, and before he beat, it disappeared for a second, just to break out completely on the impact. Shiba could not even follow the ball as it disappeared from Killua's hands. She only noticed how Razor fixed his Nen completely on his hands. What was he doing? It wasn't a second before he took the ball and kicked it back with full force. It could not even be called back. Rather, he had simply changed the direction of the ball so that he was now flying backward to its full extent.  
Killua dodged, but Gon did not seem to make an effort to jump in another direction. It would have been possible to think that he would take the ball if he had not fallen slowly. The ball shot just over his head as the boy fell unconscious to the floor. It was his luck that he had used so much aura. He was at the end. Hisoka remained, who was also in the wilderness.  
He manifested a lot of Nen between his fingers, which formed to his specialty. She looked at him horrified as he prepared to receive the ball.  
“Why would you do that?” She heard Tsezguerra roar from the side. Not even she could answer the question. Did he want to test his strength? What did her Trickster plan?  
She could no longer follow the drama.

“He desires absolute victory. Isn't it, Gon?”  
The ball went right into his bungee gum and stretched it to the limit. Hisoka had said to her that it was going to stretch as far as she wanted, but she realized at that moment that there was a limit. It was at a maximum ten meters before his gum stopped and tried to hold the ball. Just like himself.  
Veins formed on his arms, which showed how much force he had to expend to stop the resistance. It was enough to hear it crack. Shocked, she put a hand to her mouth. He had also broke the other eight fingers. In a moment, she heard a sound suppressed before he used all his strength to kick the ball back. In fact, he had launched a counter-attack.  
Razor took it, while it still carried a terrible force. It seemed as if he were throwing it back, but the opposite turned out quite quickly.  
Hisoka had attached a certain amount of his Nen to the floor, so the ball was now stuck to his opponent's wrists. There was no way to throw him back, so he was pushed across the field, over the white line.  
“Razor catches the ball, touching the outer area. This is against the rules. You're out. This makes the team Gon the winner!” Loudly the referee announced the state of the game.  
Cheers broke out.  
Checking to the Trickster, he looked at his fingers. They were definitely absolutely broken.

“Ah ... what happened in the end?” Gon, who had awakened after his short break, looked around in surprise.  
“Oh, Hisoka did the job.”  
“In the end, he stole all the glory.” Killua glanced at Hisoka.  
“This was only possible through the help of all of you. Let's call it a victory for the team.” The clown seemed to be a little proud of the work they had all done.  
“That does not sound like you.”  
“I just wanted to say the same thing.”  
Shiba and Gon looked at him, stunned, while he pulled back his head. It stimulated Killua, despite all the hardships, to laugh.  
“You won. As promised, we are leaving the city. But first, I'll answer you all the questions about Ging.” Razor looked quite finished when he came to the group and spoke to Gon. One of his shoes was completely torn, like the ball.

“Killua, Hisoka, you should have both your hands bandaged.”  
“Yes, immediately.” While Killua rose from his sitting position to meet Shiba's request, the Trickster cracked again with his fingers.  
“I am fine.”  
“Hisoka, you'll get your fingers bandaged.”  
“My Bungee Gum-,” he didn't come to the end, as she stood before him and took both of his hands into her. Shortly afterwards, she pressed his limbs ruthlessly together.  
“Shiba! You'll break my fingers!”  
“They are already broken!”  
“Shiba!” Visibly he had no joy that she squeezed his fingers. Groaning, he tried to get out of her grip, but he lacked some strength. Probably his wrists were also no longer at the absolute height of healthiness.  
“Let them bandage!”  
“I'll let them bandage, but let me go!”  
As on command, she released him. His hands trembled a little, so he looked at her annoyed.  
“You're my Support. How were your words? My well-being is your goal?”  
“Very right and I don't care if I have to hurt you properly. Any questions, or are you pushing your butt now to the blonde?”  
Murmuring, he turned away from her and went to Bisky, who had just finished Killuas hands. The latter now came to her in return.  
“You got Hisoka under control better than I thought.”  
“He's much more hands-on than he looks and behaves.”  
“I would not say that. If you get too comfortable with him, he will try to kill you.”  
She realized she was never on the safe side with him. He was a player, always keen to have fun and reach his selfish goals.  
“Well, let's see. It is clear to me that we are often confronted. But if I have to say, at this moment, that he had given way too easily in, he would probably say his standard set again.”  
“He's got something like that?”  
“Oh yeah. I quote: Shiba, I'm not softened, I'm sensitive!” Twisting her eyes, she whispered, causing Killua to burst into loud laughter.  
“This is like this: Gon! What are you doing with me?” He too began to imitate the Trickster, which made her giggle.  
“That's so exciting! I can hardly hold back!” Provocatively she pressed her hip forward and put a hand in front of her eyes.  
“Give me more, entertain me!” And Killua lifted his hands away from his chest.

While the two imitated Hisokas words, one after the other, it was hard for Bisky to wrap the bandages properly. Again and again, she began to giggle, while Hisoka looked briefly over her shoulder.  
“I don't like to remind you that you were trying to catch a werewolf in Antokiba. Besides, the sword was stuck in the wall because you obviously don't know how to draw objects from rocks. And don't forget when you crawled to the river on all fours and didn't even notice me when I was standing naked in front of you.”  
Killuas laughter grew louder, while the Trickster gave her a sneer.  
“The last thing is that you always drop your clothes when you see water. You're worse than a guinea pig!”  
“Shiba, you know that guinea pigs are not so hot because they go down on water?”  
The laughter of the others increased. They had their fun while a counter-attack came.  
“Come on, Shiba, that can't have been all!”  
“You two are a remarkable duo when it comes to joking. How is the fight?”  
“Fits,” she murmured, while she froze the Trickster's gaze.  
He was cruel, but she had fun.  
Somehow she liked his twisted kind. It was exciting to find out what would happen next. No matter what it was.


	38. A little detour

She was glad that the game had finally come to an end. She had never seen a simple ball to do such damage.  
Shortly she glanced at Hisoka, who stretched himself with pleasure.  
“How are your fingers?”  
“Nothing has changed, but if I'm careful, they'll heal. So there should be no major problems.” He raised his hands confidently and showed her that he could move them easily.  
“You will certainly not heal if you don't hold still. We should put them in plaster.”  
“Then I can't move them anymore.”  
“That's the point.”  
“We leave it as it is.”  
“Hisoka, I'll force you.”  
“Then let's make a deal.”  
“Already?” She whispered to the Trickster.  
“I give you an interesting tip and you just forget my fingers.”  
“What is it? It must be something great, so I can't think of your bones anymore.”  
He raised his index finger to warn her that there was no way back. He really didn't want to start a fight with her, as it seemed.  
She stopped and nodded briefly as she waited for his information.  
“I've heard there are a few ruins nearby that could have rare artifacts ... or extremely valuable treasures.”  
“Persuaded! The sun is just rising ... the day has just begun ... let's go straight away!”  
“I'm not coming,” he said, standing in one place, holding a hand in his hip. “I have a date.”  
“A date? You?” She couldn't help laughing.  
“Yes, absolutely. But you can do it alone.”  
She quickly fell silent, her laughter turning into a sigh. Annoyed, she put a hand in front of her eyes. He was exhausting. Again.  
“I'll put your fingers in plaster on the spot if you're not coming. Above all, I would like to know with whom you meet. What are you planning?”  
“I? Not much. I have someone who can tell me where our exorcist is.”  
“You're lying.”  
Stubborn she looked him in the eye, which he accepted only contemptuously. It was a moment before he began talking again.  
“You're getting more and more problematic.”  
“You're just plain.”  
“What blow my lie?”  
Shortly she looked in another direction. She had guessed. She didn't want to believe him, but she couldn't tell him that it was just a lucky hit.  
“Female intuition.”  
“Oh? Do you have such a thing?”  
Outraged, she looked back at him. His face looked thoughtful, which only provoked her more.  
“Naturally! How could you think that I don't have such a thing? I always notice when something is wrong!”  
“William?”  
“That was an accident!”  
“Of your senses, or what?” His hypocrisy made her insane, which is why she just got back into motion. She heard a faint moaning behind her before he also went to follow her. Perhaps he was a master in talking to get out of an affair, but she was stubborn. Against that, he had nothing to use.  
He was compelled to bow to her will.  
And that point made her smile. She had him fully under control.  
♦ ♣ ♦

“Not bad ..,” she murmured softly as she looked at the ancient work of art.  
It recalled a pyramid, which could only be found in certain parts of the world. She had never seen one before, and she was grateful to Greed Island for it.  
The old rock, in its dark gray, radiated an almost spooky aura. In some places, moss squeezed between the cracks and tears, reckless on the appearance. The entrance to the interior was slightly higher, which forced one to climb up some steps. Not as if it was something terrible in any way, but Shiba had the feeling with every step closer to an adventure. With luck, she would find a treasure of immeasurable value. She would make so much money that she couldn't only pay off her debts on the Trickster, but it was also possible for her to live well for a while afterward.

Excited about the things they might find, she took the stairs, closely followed by Hisoka. He had remained with her despite his 'date'.  
Carefully she approached the entrance. Her heart beat for a while harder and she could hardly wait to start the search. Even though one really pretty vase was standing in the middle of the room, that was built in front of her. She would start with it.  
“Do you really think we have to be so careful?” The clown, however, didn't seem to understand her excitement and flitted past her. Without warning, he stepped in and looked around.  
“Somehow it's too easy,” he continued  
Sighing, Hisoka came back to her.  
“Doesn't seem to be anything special. Get it if you want it.”  
Nodding, she pushed past him. Certainly, nothing had happened when he had entered, but it couldn't have been so easy. Was there perhaps a task which she had to fulfill before she could take the vase?  
She took every step carefully, but she quickly realized that nothing moved. She was standing in front of the jewelry before she could imagine other dangerous scenarios.  
She watched the pot. Clearly made of clay, decorated with gold, it stood on its pedestal. The black color in which it sank was evenly applied by fine craftsmanship. She could see so much.  
It was a very nice piece and certainly worth it.  
So she grabbed it at the top and turned back on the heel.  
“Have it!” She said cheerfully, while Hisoka's eyes were resting on her mindfully. Less careful, on the other hand, he had looked for a comfortable position to stand around and his arms folded in front of his chest. Still, she didn't want to fall victim to his provocative nature, so she made a great step forward and triumphantly waved the vase. But she fell almost to the front, to the hard stone floor. Something under her had yielded.

A brief look down confirmed her theory. The piece on which she stood was pushed inward, which at the same time caused a clicking sound from the walls.  
“Shiba?” He looked at her doubtfully.  
“No?”  
She just managed to push the pot close to her chest and jump forward before a whole set of arrows could pierce her. But just by jumping, the ground gave in a second time. With difficulty, she staggered backward, while one javelin after another shot up from below. All these things had surprised her so much that she didn't even think of her sword. Instead, she hopped around aimlessly, trying to avoid one trap after another.  
She was hunted across the room before she hit the wall with her back. The field before her was a single mess. It would have been possible to speak of a small war when one looked at the extent more closely.  
In order to assure her partner that she was doing well, she raised a hand. Her survival seemed to be of little interest to him.  
Shaking her head, she wanted to move back to him, slipping by the first step. Uncomfortably she stumbled backward and pushed again against the rock behind her. This time, however, she had brought enough swing that it also gave in behind her and she only noticed how she lost the ground under her feet. It happened in seconds. The wall scooped her up, turned once by a hundred and eighty degrees, leaving an empty space.  
Shiba, on the other hand, came up on the other side with a loud clank, head forward. The vase was still in a good condition and the only thing that had caused any damage was she herself. Groaning in pain, she rubbed the back of her head before she got up again.  
“Hisoka?”  
Waiting for an answer, she looked around. Clearly, she was now standing in a corridor and no room. This could also mean that the Trickster didn't hear her at all. Probably he was just using the moment to go to his actual meeting.

Determined by her breath, she followed the path which opened to her.  
Very much more couldn't go wrong.

♦ ♣ ♦

Unsure, she walked down the aisle. Several branches in other directions were noticeable, but She ignored each of them. Still pressing the vase against her breast, she was careful not to trigger any traps. It had been a long time, but she was indeed afraid. Not that something scary might happen, so that she dropped the vase and died almost completely in vain.  
Each of her steps echoed through the corridors. Darkness was almost everywhere when one ignored all the torches on the walls. These, however, donated very little light, so she had to pay more attention to where she went.  
Sighing, she stopped. It wouldn't be possible for her to find a way out of the catacombs. It would have been simpler if she slammed the walls. She didn't beat up badly, with the abilities of an enhancer. A few clean strokes she could handle. The problem was in what direction she had to go to get outside. Everything looked exactly the same and she had lost the orientation right from the start.  
She could only think of her situation mutteringly. Hisoka was sure to have fun again. He would probably count it on the account 'Shibas ingenious moves' and rub it under her nose again and again. As much as he knew about her, she couldn't counter.

Just as she wanted to sigh again, an unpleasant sound made her shiver. But instead of preparing for a fight, she jumped like a horrified rabbit and ran. As fast as she could, she ran straight ahead. Somewhere, she turned around, hoping she'd escape the sound.  
She didn't stop until she was sure that no one could be within reach. Shortly breathing, she tried again to put one foot in front of the other, but she was forcibly forced to stand still. The unpleasant cracking beneath her soles made her look down. Cracks spread over a certain part of the surface and threatened to collapse the ground. She stayed whimpering in her position. If she didn't move and didn't get any more weight on the ground, she would still have enough time to look for a way out.

♦ ♣ ♦

“Shiba?”  
She didn't turn around as the Tricksters familiar voice sounded behind her. Instead, she just stood still.  
For an hour she had been standing there, while sweat ran down her temporal bone. Every movement brought the ground to crunch, which was why she hadn't really figured out how he found her.  
Hisoka was also smart enough to stop at his post and not make a stupid mistake.  
“What are you doing there?”  
“I'm standing around, what does it look like?”  
“Hm?” The bored undertone in his voice left her cold. He had no idea of what an unpleasant situation she was.  
Cautiously, she turned her head as far in his direction as she could.  
“Listen, I need your help.”  
“Do you do that?” The smile that was on his lips, clarified that he was still thinking about exactly what he was doing.  
“Yes, I do! And now be quiet and listen to me. The ground beneath me is brittle. When I move, it will collapse and we don't know what is at the bottom. So I want you to attach your Bungee Gum to me, and be careful not to hurt me.”  
“So I should pull you to me, when you're about to fall, with all my strength, before you hurt yourself?”  
“Yes. You see, we get it.”  
Thoughtfully, he placed his index finger to his lips as he looked at the ceiling.  
“But you said I should spare my fingers.”  
“I will cut off your fingers if you don't help me!”  
“How vulgar you are,” he sighed, holding a hand in her direction. Inspecting, she gave her eyes some Nen to make sure his Bungee Gum stuck to her.  
Taking a deep breath again, she went through her plan she just made. She would fall, Hisoka would cushion her and pull her up again.  
Nodding, she put a foot forward, which helped the cracks spread over the ground. Quickly she turned to him. However, the Surface broke already on the next step, so that she almost stepped into the void. With one move, Hisoka tried to pull her in his direction, but neither of them noticed the ceiling over them, which also collapsed. One of the stones landed on his elastic love, which prevented the Trickster from dragging her to him.

Almost in free fall, she stepped into the depths. With panic, she closed her eyes and just waited for the moment when everything was over.  
Fortunately, her rescue rope was only pinched and not torn, which led her to fall only a few yards. As soon as she noticed that she was a bit pushed upwards and then seemed to be hanging in the air, she carefully opened one of her eyes.  
“Hisoka?” Mournfully, her voice reached up.  
“Yes?” He looked over the edge, so she could see him.  
“Pull me up.”  
Briefly, he looked at his Bungee Gum before he reached for it with one hand and carried it up in one pull. Squeaking, she drew her legs closer. She pressed the pot so tightly that she could only hear a slight creak. Immediately she held the piece of jewelry away, not to crush it. Meanwhile, the redhead stepped sideways, so she could land beside him without problems.  
Ready for the landing, she stretched out her legs again and managed to get down without a mistake. The downside, however, was that her hands were completely sweaty of all the excitement. She came down, her arms built away from the swing her body brought with and at the same time the vase slipped between her fingers.  
The loud rattling, which followed, only made her look horrified.

“That can't be...”  
Hisoka made no sound, so she looked up at him. As if it hadn't been a great deal, he looked at her without any reaction.  
“Can't you put it back together?”  
“I?”  
“Yeah, you got the bungee gum!”  
“Even if I stick it, it will leave cracks behind.”  
Murmuring she looked at the broken pieces at her feet. She just lost a unique opportunity to repay the debt to Hisoka.  
“Because there is nothing to get here, excuse me. I have to go to my appointment.”  
“I come with-”  
“I can't take you with me.”  
“It's about the Nen Exorcist, right? We're both working on this case, so I'll come along,” she pointed her hands to her waist.  
“If I have really found the Exorcist, then you should use the time I need to convince to collect the remaining cards. You were looking for a certain card. If we have our help for Chrollo, it makes no sense to stay longer.”  
He was right. She wanted to have a card that could heal everything that existed. A card like this in real life was an absolutely ingenious good. But she couldn't let him run around alone. She didn't know who he met with. Depending on the person, she could perhaps get some positive out of it.  
Also, if she reluctantly gave in, she had to come to the card in a different way. Hisoka was clearly more important than the elements of the game.  
“Right. I must have the card,” she sighed, saying exactly what he was supposed to hear. At least a smile appeared on his face, which probably meant triumph.  
He would look pretty mad when he realized that she had lied. He probably didn't expect him to be more important to her than the cards.  
His look would shatter while she caught him and capped his connections. This was a perfect opportunity.


	39. Recognition

With difficulty suppressing her presence, she flitted from tree to tree. She wasn't the best in hiding her existence, but it should be enough to follow Hisoka unobtrusively. He walked leisurely along the forest path, towards a rock formation. He wasn't even in a hurry, even when he had said before that he would have to make an appointment.  
Murmuring, she crawled up a tree and sat down on a branch to risk a little more distance. She didn't want to lose sight of him, after all, she simply had to know with whom he met. If it was someone with whom she could start something herself, she would become friends with the unknown one. Do business and submit to the Trickster. At least when everything went as planned.  
They arrived quite quickly at his destination. In general, it hadn't been very far from the ruins. She came to a halt a few yards from him and the people with whom he met. With a good look at the squad, she looked at her surroundings at the same time. Except for the two strangers at Hisoka's side, no one seemed to be near.  
She couldn't call these two figures beside her partner unknown. Both she had seen once in Yorknew when they held Gon and Killua as hostages, or something like that. The girl, dressed in a traditional Japanese ninja outfit. The man with the sword she would like to fight.  
She had thought that they would probably belong to the woman with the glasses. So when Hisoka spoke to them, they had the information about the Nen Exorcist. The man who could help Chrollo.  
Thoughtfully, she put a finger to her chin. If her calculations were correct, they had to be members of the phantom group. This, in turn, meant that the woman from the auction also had to be a member of this group. She'd probably have to ask the Trickster. He couldn't ask for anything, they were partners, and such a relationship consisted of giving and taking.  
Waiting, Shiba focused her Nen on the ears to strengthen the hearing. Listening to the conversation couldn't be wrong.  
“That's him,” the swordsman began to speak, while Hisoka looked through a small binocular.  
“How did you find him?”  
“Damn, as if I were telling you this, you fool.”  
Giggling, she looked at the samurai, or whatever one wanted to call this man. He was immediately sympathetic, with his choice of words against Hisoka.  
“You in the shadow, is it because of your powers?”  
She shrugged nervously. Her partner seemed to have noticed her, and that even though she was sitting five meters away from him on a tree. She remained unsure. Should she pretend not to exist?  
“You didn't even use a kind of Nen. Are you a freak, or what?”  
Shiba listened. They didn't seem to mean her.  
Amused with giggles, the Trickster replied to the samurai.  
“I've recently finished a very entertaining fight. I'm a little sensitive at the moment. To calm me, I wouldn't mind destroying a complete stranger.”  
“Damn it.”  
“Come out,” the girl said and turned a little in Shiba's direction. She herself used this moment to find the second, hidden person. She hadn't even noticed this, which aroused her interest a little.  
As commanded, a child stepped out of the shadows. A beautiful girl, as far as she could judge herself. Dressed in a traditional, long kimono, she remained under the protection of a tree crown. Her black hair was cut short and put her neck free.  
“Was my Zetsu not good enough?”  
“No, it was perfect.”  
While the young woman answered the child, she came to the squad.  
“This guy is just insane,” the man added. “This is group member number four. In other words, your replacement.”  
Shiba's mouth opened. This little girl should actually be a replacement for Hisoka, which also meant she was extremely strong.  
She swallowed briefly before turning back to the conversation.

“My name is Kalluto. I can not tell you how my strength works, but we have found the right person through it.”  
“Ah. You also look very appetizing.”  
As usual, he drew a silly sentence, looking sharply to the rear.  
“Watch out.”  
“He isn't very vocal.”  
The other two warned Kalluto in front of Shiba's partner. Surely he would kill the little one when she came too close to him.  
“Hisoka, you don't screw this up.”  
“You are so tiring ... Of course, I should not, in my own favor.”  
Again he saw through the binoculars before turning to the pink-haired girl.  
“What would you do if I defeated and killed Chrollo in a fight?”  
Shiba followed his words.  
“As if he were losing against you.” The woman didn't seem really enthusiastic about his question. “If you really want to know, I would hunt you to the end of the world and kill you with my own hands.”  
“For real? That doesn't sound so bad for me.”

Shiba could hear it in his voice. A tone that she didn't like. As if he were flirting with this woman, he muttered these words. He'd done it this way before, but it was exactly what disturbed her so much. She could feel her heart racing as she slowly slid her fingernails into the tree bark. It didn't suit her. This woman was in the way.  
She shook her head briefly. What was she thinking? This woman didn't look like she was a Support. And even if, her partner had to be the swordsman.  
But it didn't change the fact that Hisoka seemed interested in her and that Shiba was annoyed.  
She couldn't explain why she felt that way, but when she had to guess her first idea was clearly jealousy. Why exactly, she couldn't tell. Was it because she was afraid of losing Hisoka? He wasn't a bad Hunter and the trip with him was exciting. Entertaining and enjoyable. She didn't want to give him to this girl. She would rather tear this woman away from him and stifle any hope of coexistence.  
Desperately, she laid her head against the tree.  
Never in life was she just jealous of the words he spoke to her. She could see him get up and the way he looked at her made Shiba sick. In the meantime, she didn't even notice the crunch that arose as her fingers crushed the wood. Her throat was slightly protruding, which was only a sign of her emotions. What did he like about her? What had this woman what she lacked?

While her senses were fogging, she didn't look away from the group. They seemed visibly more nervous, which also led the Trickster to look in her direction. A playful smile surrounded his lips, which put the swordsman in rage. He jumped up to where he had been sitting before, and also looked in her direction. Likewise the other two.  
It had to be the bloodlust that Shiba exhaled. She could interpret it roughly because she knew the feeling too well. It was like the time with Sadaso, only a lot stronger. Much more, it reminded her of the Hunter exam, where she hadn't been quite squeamish two years ago. The reason why Cheadle knew how strong she could be when she went a little insane.  
Deeply breathing, she tried to control herself. As long as Hisoka wouldn't make a silly remark, the odds weren't bad that no one had to die.

“Why are you grinning so stupidly?”  
“Well, you aren't the only ones who have a new 'substitute' at their side. Chrollo probably didn't say it, but he sent another person into the game.”  
“And we're supposed to believe you?” The samurai put a hand on his sword.  
“You can do what you want. Ask Chrollo about her.”  
“What does substitute mean? And since when did you alliance with someone for such a long time?” Also, the woman seemed anything but enthusiastic.  
“She is my Support. Chrollo wanted me to hold her by my side as long as we are here.” His smile widened as he lifted his hands slightly and shrugged. “I can't deny that she is quite amusing.”  
A few glances flitted between her hiding-place and Hisoka.  
“Come out!” The Trickster lifted a finger and pointed to her, with a gesture in his direction that she no longer needed to hide.  
Sighing, she followed his orders and jumped off the branch. The remaining meters on the ledge, she walked along as casually as possible. One hand on her sword, the other near a gun under the dress.

As soon as she stepped into the field of vision of the others, Hisoka's head was a little crooked.  
“Have you found your cards already?”  
“Idiot, do I look like I've been looking for them at all?”  
Humming, he put a hand on his hip and didn't let her out of his sight. She, however, looked at the others before she spoke up.  
“I'm Shiba. Since I've been to Greed Island, I've been working as Hisokas Support, on behalf of Chrollo.”  
“If I see you like this ... I remember something.” The samurai thoughtfully examined her.  
“Nice. And with whom do I have the honor?”  
“Nobunaga Hazama,” the man said.  
“Machi.” Also, her enemy gave an answer after a short hesitation.  
Shiba took note of this part before she went back to her partner.  
“May I?”  
“Since when do you ask for permission? Our game has no rules, right?” His eyes sparkled excitedly, slipping his tongue over his lips.  
“Well then. I suppose you are the members of the phantom group. I have a question for which I am looking for an answer.”  
“Why should we help you?” The woman's pretentious voice almost stifled pitifully when she felt cold metal on her throat. As she stared, she looked at the sword that Shiba held in her hands.  
“When..?”  
“If you don't want to answer me, be quiet. You get on my nerves. We don't want the blade to appear right on the other side of your neck, right?”  
None of the others dared to move a finger, except Hisoka, who got a card and balanced it between his fingers.  
“She's your partner, tell her something,” hissed Nobunaga to him.  
“I can't. This is a really stupid situation. If I do something rash now, Shiba will end the game with me and it's just really exciting.”  
“You bastard...”  
Inside, she had to think about the words of the Trickster. It was just a game they played, and yet it was more important to him than the life of this woman. Had she just overreacted?  
“To my question, I just want to get a name. It is a woman, most likely from your group. She fights with a vacuum cleaner.”  
“You ... can it be ...?” Wonder was written on the face of the samurai. “Are you the girl who fought Shizuku? In the auction house?”  
“So it's Shizuku ...”  
“You're the only one who escaped. She was thrilled by you.”  
“This is reciprocity.” She lowered the sword more calmly until she put it back into its cover. At last, she had the name of the woman against whom she wished a revenge one day. The face thus had a title and she would remember it.


	40. Exchange

Carefully, they sneaked to their goal. The exorcist had settled at a table, belonging to a café. Shortly she glanced at Hisoka, who walked easily beside her. He was visibly in a good mood, which may be due to the fact that he had the chance to free Chrollo from his restriction. This meant he could fight and he didn't want more.  
“Are you going to talk?” She asked him, coming a bit closer, not to be too loud.  
“If we want to be safe. Of course, I can let you speak too.” His smile became more mocking. He knew she was going to ruin everything.  
“You speak.”  
He took the last few meters before he reached his destination.  
“Hey. You seem to be alive, huh?”  
Confused, the man looked up at him, his face completely hidden, except for his eyes.  
“What are you talking about?”  
“The bomber.”  
“So you know about it. Are you one of his accomplices?”  
“I'm afraid I'm not.”  
Shaking his head at the words of the Trickster, the man rose.  
“What is it you want?”  
“We need your skills to fix a problem. You exorcise, exactly what we are looking for.”  
“You ask for help?”  
“Rather, we provide a trade.”  
Thoughtfully, the stranger crossed his arms in front of his chest and looked at them both. His eyes remained attached to Shiba, as she stared more than obviously in a different direction.  
“Girl, tell me what do you need me for?”  
Shortly she looked at him, then to Hisoka, who didn't let the guy out of his eyes.  
“As my partner has already said, we need your skills to remove something. What it is, is strictly confidential. You will see it when you stand in front of it.”  
“And what do you offer me?”  
Inquired she looked at her hunter, as she had no idea what was being made up. Only Hisoka could know, why he was forced to answer.  
“As we have heard, you will probably want a future as an Exorcist. It takes a lot of money and that's what we offer you. We are ready to double the prize money you should get through this game.”  
“And you want nothing more than to remove something?”  
“That's the way it is.”  
While the stranger thought about the offer, Shiba looked back and forth between the two. Money made people sellable, that was clear, but he seemed too complicated to agree.

“Agreed.”  
Her eyes widened in horror. They could kill him or not, but he agreed. Did he think he was strong enough to win any fight?  
“Seriously?” Without realizing it, the question slipped over her lips.  
“Yes. You'd have nothing out of killing me, after all, people like me are not easy to find. So you won't do anything to me. You will give me the money before I begin the exorcism and I won't go until you have assured me that I have performed my task as you wish. I see no problem. You pay well and I'm almost done with this game anyway.”  
“For real?”  
“You will have to wait. I have to do something else first, then I'll deal with your problem.”  
“Okay.” Hisoka didn't hesitate to answer. He was visibly content with the way in which the trial had gone. She too had learned something. The stranger had thought up his answer.

“We ask all players for their attention. Someone has collected ninety-nine compulsory cards. On this occasion, we will organize a quiz, which will win the 100th card as a prize. We'll start in five minutes. Each player automatically takes part, whether or not he or she answers, is left to him/herself. I wish you success.”  
An announcement was made, which any player might hear. In fact, someone already had almost all the cards. Gripping her teeth, she thought about possible candidates. Gon and Killua were certainly not that far from their goal.  
As it looked to her, the time had passed to collect all the elements of the game. It was better, then, to see who was so close to the whole.  
“Hisoka, I have to go. If everything is going well for me, we won't see each other until we are out of the game. I'll call you so we can meet.”  
“Oh? How rare that you voluntarily leave my side.”  
“I'll go too. My goal should be close by.” The stranger also went to go.  
“Book!” She called for the blue card collector to draw a card which she had received some time ago. In the fight against the one man, she had exempted with Hisoka. It was one that could bring her to a player in no time.  
“Magnetic Force, Killua.” She had barely activated the card, when she was already in the air, on the fastest route to her goal. It didn't take two minutes before she stood next to the white-haired boy and looked shocked in his face.  
“Shiba?”  
“Killua!” She grasped him joyfully and pressed him to her chest. They hadn't been separated for a long time, but she was happy to see him being well. Since his hands still had to heal, something could have happened in the shortest possible time.

“What are you doing here?”  
“I wanted to ask you something.” She looked around searchingly. The five minutes were still running. Gon stood opposite her, beside Bisky. On the ground to their right three men were found.  
“What is it?” Gon also seemed interested in her sudden appearance.  
“How far are you with the game?”  
“We have all the cards! At least almost. We are waiting for the quiz. If one of us wins, we really have it all.”  
“You can take three cards with you outside. I wanted to ask you for a place in it.”  
“No way!” Now the blonde also interfered. Extending the chest, she looked at Shiba. “The seats are already occupied.”  
“By?”  
“Two cards that Gon and Killua probably need and the third place is mine!”  
Sighing, Shiba put her head back.  
“What kind of card is it?”  
“A stone that looks pretty pricey,” Killua interjected.  
“So you're looking for pretty things that have a lot of value?”  
She just shook her blonde mane, which Shiba couldn't understand.  
“Can I convince you to give up the place?”  
“Depends on what you have to offer.”  
“Not much,” she snapped, pulling out the amulet of Laki out of her chest, “ just that.”  
It had cost her a great deal of effort to get to this piece of jewelry at all, but if she could get the card she wanted, she was ready to give up her own happiness.  
“Is that really..?” Bisky didn't seem to trust her eyes either.  
“A lucky charm, or as one calls it. An artifact that should give its bearer so much happiness that it can even fulfill wishes. And Bisky...there is this one card I really wish for.”  
The blonde seemed to be arguing with herself, as she only bites on the lower lip. It took a brief moment before she decided.  
“I came here for a card, but you win. Take the place next to Gon and Killua. I have only one question, what will you choose and why?”  
Shiba took off her necklace and gave it to Bisky, which she accepted, completely in love. However, only for a moment, because she still had no answer.  
“I want to take the card 'Breath of Archangel'.”  
“What?” The two boys cried out in a chorus.  
“There are three of them. You can use two, no more, as the card limit is exceeded. I want the third one.”  
“Why?” They all waited spellbound for her reply. Admittedly, she had no answer except one that was no less than the truth.  
“I'm a Support. In the end, I give up my happiness for others.”  
When she thought about the effect of the card, and then about the importance of her partner, she could tell for what she could use it. Not for herself. She would use this magic one day for her Hunter. To protect him, it was worth it.  
Shortly Hisoka flitted through her head. Frankly, she didn't want to get out of the game. The end on this island also meant the end of the team with the Trickster. She had enjoyed the time and got used to him. In addition, she liked to spend time with him, even if it was a little tiring.

“Hisoka?”  
Perplexed, she looked at Killua, who looked stunned.  
“How can you think something like that?” She tried to defend herself a little red in the face.  
“You're a Support and you're on Hisoka's side. Why are you embarrassed at all? Isn't that fact?” He paused. “Don't tell me you like this freak?! Are you in love or something?”  
“In what? With whom? Hisoka?”  
“Do you know any other freaks?”  
Taking a deep breath, she tried to collect her thoughts. She wasn't in love. She only defended him. Against other women and felt uncomfortable when he met with strangers.  
“Damn..,” she muttered to herself.  
“Well, then! You don't have all senses together anymore!”  
“I'm not in love, and we aren't partners anymore after this game! We go separate ways after we met the last time outside.” Raising her hands, she spoke her mind free. It wasn't like she was lying. Chrollo had put her and Hisoka together for the game. After that, the Trickster was finally going, which meant that he would use his chance for the fight.  
“Well... I don't mind taking this card with me for you.” Gon seemed to ignore Killuas concerns and looked at the running time, a few meters above them.  
Only a few seconds remained for a decision.  
“I beg you!”

♦ ♣ ♦

The time swept past her.  
Gon healed Killuas hands with one of the cards she wanted. With a second he, on request, healed one of the three men on the ground. He also took part in the quiz and as he entered the answers, the masked stranger crept up to her. Shiba noticed him out of the corner of her eye but was silent. She watched as he grabbed one of the captured men on the shoulder and whispered something. She didn't listen, she didn't care. The Exorcist still nodded but then disappeared.  
As in a trance, she watched Gon win the quiz and get two cards. The last one that was really needed, and an invitation. They were talking to each other, they also laughed, but she could no longer think clearly. Rather, her thoughts were all about one thing: She would lose her Hunter. Again. Much more she would lose Hisoka. Not as if it were the worst in the world, but everything in her mind resisted, even if she thought about it. On top of that, she didn't know why. Was it the habit? Was it the good time she had with him? Was it perhaps something else? Killuas words echoed in her. She wasn't in love. At least it couldn't be all since she hardly knew him.  
And yet she was thinking of nothing else.

Every now and then Bisky glanced at her. Thanks to 'Accompany', a map that allowed several players to travel as a group to a certain place, they had arrived somewhere, while she was in her thoughts, in the capital.  
Gon was the only one who was allowed to go to the administration's place. The place where one found oneself when one finished the game.  
So she stayed with the other two in front of the entrance. Smiling, putting his hands in his pocket, Killua leaned against a wall and waited. Bisky took the time to get closer to Shiba.  
“You've been lost in thought all along. Is everything okay?”  
Lost her concentration, she glanced at the blonde.  
“I don't know.”  
“Hisoka?”  
“What do you all just have with him? Going on and on about him ...” The annoyed sigh reached Killua on the opposite, who looked at her questioningly.  
“I can understand the concerns of Killua, but let me give you a little insight of a woman with a lot of human knowledge.”  
“You may be twelve. You are neither woman nor do I think that you have enough experience to say anything.”  
With a wink, Bisky put a finger to her lips.  
“I am older than I may look.”  
“Then tell me. What is it that you see?”  
Triumphant, the little girl put her hands on her hips and put her head back slightly.  
“It's easy to watch you. You get along well with him, and Hisoka is more honest with you than he would ever be with Gon and Killua. You guys are a good team and I think your decision isn't that wrong. Be careful anyway. After all, he has a rather fickle character. I'm sure you've already convinced him. You just have to push him a little further.”  
Shiba hung on the lips of her opposite. She could hardly believe what she was hearing and she was very happy that not everyone was against her decision to follow Hisoka. To like him. Gon wasn't interested and Killua had already told his thoughts.  
There was only this little girl in front of her who shared her view, and that made her happy.  
A brief smile passed over her lips before she nodded and looked in another direction.  
“Thank you, Bisky.”

 

**I made a picture from Shiba...with my unbelievable paint and mouse skills.**   
**Well...as you can see, I'm not good in drawing digitally. But I hope you like it anyways.**


	41. Hisoka's bet

“You keep your promise, right?” The voice behind him belonged to none other than the stranger, who would free Chrollo of his limitations.  
His hands on his hips, Hisoka watched the sunset. Soon he would finally be able to lead an exciting fight again. He had waited long enough.  
“Certainly.”  
“Well, how do we proceed?”  
“We leave the island and then we inform you about more.” Excitement rose in him. Just the thought of how he would slowly crush the spider's head made his blood boil.  
“Alright.” Nodding, the stranger pulled out a card from the blue playbook. “Leap!”  
It was a magic card suitable for leaving the island and returning to the place where one had entered. He, too, had one of the cards that Shalnark had given him when he first met him in the game. While he had parted from Shiba for the first time to attend a secret meeting of the troupe.  
Briefly, he thought about the further course before he even pulled the card to disappear. First of all, he would pass on the number of the exorcist he had previously secured to Chrollo. Then it was just a wait. On his opponent, on his partner and on the end of the ritual.  
“Leap.”  
  
♦ ♣ ♦

A brief, bright light passed through the hotel room in which the console stood. In front of it sat the leader of the phantom troop, waiting for a satisfactory result.  
As soon as the light was gone, an unpleasant atmosphere spread. Hisoka was standing next to the table, with his tongue licking his lips. Arms loosely across his chest, he looked at the black-haired.  
“So it's time.” Not even to his return, he really wanted to welcome the Trickster.  
“We found the exorcist. Surely you can do the rest yourself.”  
Playfully smiling, he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket and noted Chrollos number with his Bungee Gum on a cloth, which he always carried along with many others.  
“Thank you.”  
“I did that for myself, Chrollo.” His smile widened as he handed the cloth over and let his gaze wander across the room. There was no reason to stay in this place any longer. He was able to continue hunting his target after it was able to fight again. So he turned and headed straight for the exit.  
“Where did you leave Shiba?”  
“After we found the exorcist, she had to do something else.”  
“But she should keep an eye on you.”  
Unknowingly lifting the arms, the redhead turned around once more.  
“Who knows what she's planning.” With that sentence, he disappeared through the door into the corridor outside.

The silence that was there made him take a deep breath for a moment. He couldn't deny that he also enjoyed the time for himself. Slowly he put one foot in front of the other, letting his mind wander. Shiba would get in touch soon to meet him. According to her statement, she was planning a breakup. She didn't want to run the 'Support and Hunter' game with him any longer. In general, she had only endured him to not be alone in Greed Island. During the time they spent together, he could well understand that she would have gone crazy alone.  
If she moved away from him, it might be possible to stop thinking about choosing game or hope.  
Sighing, he found his way out of the hotel. The sun had already gone down, which meant that the last rays of light were crawling across the floor. He would look for a hotel for the night and decide on a new destination in advance. However, he didn't get the actual bet out of his head. The one he had finished with Shiba. She wanted to force him to his knees and the way she played was clearly entertaining. A fight against her alone would keep him busy for a while. After all, she was more biting than she looked.  
The thought left him with no more than a smile. In fact, she had raised her sword against the squad and put Machi back in her place. So much so that she couldn't even defend herself. The look that Shiba had put on her face, he couldn't get it out of his head since then. Absolute superiority combined with a hint of hate and slight failure of the nerves. Not only was she mad at him, she wasn't thrilled with Machi's behavior.  
Surely she had heard something of the conversation, even if it was just the murder threat that was being pronounced against him. After all, Shiba was his Support and was obliged to keep his back free. With this insight, the snippy undertone the pink-haired had given was not very positive.  
How much he would like to see a fight between them.

Somewhere in the middle of the streets he stopped and looked up at the sky. Shiba would probably have won. Both were fast, but a sword against strings was the decisive sticking point.  
A deep hum escaped his throat.  
“Ah, I have to resist ...”  
He could feel his body responding to his thoughts. His partner, completely mad, leaving the control. How she literally bathed in the blood of her opponents. The same look she had given Machi before while she ripped her head off. In the end, nothing remained, except a smile. Sparkling eyes and slightly flushed cheeks, as it once was after the bet in poker.  
Even he would renounce a fight in order to experience this expression again. It had made his heart beat faster and made him feel comfortable in his chest.  
He was visibly taken with her.  
Shaking his head, he went on. If she wanted to break up, there was nothing he would do about it. It didn't make sense to run after a woman since one always crossed ways more than once.  
But what would he do if she asked him to be her Hunter even longer?  
Then there was still the question of whether he was following the game or the hope. Both had a reason, both a meaning. He could only choose one and he knew exactly what he wanted to choose.  
Placing a finger to his lips, he found the solution quite simple. If both were up, he would bet. With himself.  
Exhaling the air noisily, he placed his bet. Should Shiba choose to stay with him, the bet came into effect. He would kill her if she could no longer entertain him. That was the side of the game. The part of his life to which he had always remained faithful.  
However, should he lose and fail to kill her, he gave himself up to hope. She would win the bet and subject him to what he had to accept without opposition. He wouldn't even try to continue playing against her. The rule he set up for himself against this bet related to a game for two. If she won, he would easily include her in everything and work well with her. Even if she should bore him. As such, she was considered a part of him, and since he fundamentally respected the use of a bet, it was a matter of honesty to adhere to his own requirements.  
For Shiba, winning would mean another, unconscious advantage.  
A game against himself. He laughed and realized how exciting the whole thing really was. He had never bet against himself. And the inset wasn't exactly low. One could call it life against life.  
What made him even go so far as to set the rules in this way?  
Certainly, he was a playmaker. But delivering himself to such a risky thing was usually not his style. If so, he was always sure he would win.  
Why was he so insecure about her?  
“Well then,” he said to himself quite calmly, “it's part of the enjoyment.”


	42. Return

The rising sun overwhelmed her with a sense of loneliness. The card she had secured from Gon and Killua was firmly held in her hands. After she got out of this place, in the middle of nowhere, Gon and Killua had implemented their plan directly. They disappeared with an Accompany smuggled out of the game.  
Bisky had decided against following them, as she had no interest in fathers, she said. Giving one final smile to Shiba, she too took a course in another direction.  
All alone she remained, on the edge of a rock.  
Sighing, she pulled her phone out of the pocket of the dress and let the card disappear into it at the same time. She was reluctant to contact the Trickster. Maybe he didn't expect her call, even though she'd told him.  
But running away forever didn't seem like the smartest option. It forced her to dial his number and wait for him to answer on the other line. Like last time, it took a while before she could hear his voice.  
“So you're back, too.”  
“I am. Well, it's time to meet and don't think about running away.”  
“I would never run away from you. What do you think?” He purring amused before he spoke up. “We'll meet tonight.”  
“Where?”  
She got no answer. Instead, he simply ended the call. Annoyed, she rolled her eyes. If she didn't find him, he was as good as dead at the next meeting.  
Without further thought, she looked around. Behind her was a road, completely untravelled. Nothing in front of her, except water. For a moment she threw another look at her cell phone. She had to go back to Yorknew, but she had no idea where she was. Gritting her teeth, she dialed one of the numbers in her directory, ready to be punched with questions.  
To her displeasure, the man on the other line picked up quickly, which meant she couldn't change her mind.  
“Shiba! I haven't heard anything from you for ages! How is life as Support? You didn't even answer my message to Killua. Women of your age should be a little more sensitive to older men!”  
“So you admit that you are old?”  
“Old and frail, my child.”  
Giggling, she thought of the old man, who spent his time basically doing the strangest things. He had little time to really enjoy himself. He took every opportunity to fight his boredom.  
“I have to ask for your help.”  
“What can I do for you?”  
“I need a car to pick me up and bring me to Yorknew. It's urgent. My Hunter is waiting for me there and I don't want to miss him.”  
“Understand ...” His thoughtful undertone revealed that he was considering a compromise. “So you found a Hunter. Who is it? After all, I know every member of the organization. If you made friends with Killua, I'd just type on Kurapika. I think you two fit together well.”  
“Master Netero, I urge you to help me!” Whenever he teased her, she addressed him as formally as possible. He didn't like it very much because his position was only half as important to him as the co-existence of the Hunter organization.  
That's why he snorted briefly before he answered her again.  
“I'm sending a car, with the condition that you answer all my questions.”  
“That's okay.”  
“Where are you?”  
Desperately she let her eyes wander again.  
“I haven't the slightest idea. I'm at the starting point if you've managed Greed Island. Gon and the others, I went with them.”  
“Okay, I told the driver where to go,” he said, almost as happy as Hisoka so that it ran cold down her back. She certainly didn't need two of that kind.  
“So, who is your partner? Kurapika?”  
“No. Kurapika is like Cheadle, just less tempered,” she mumbled dismissively. He actually knew everyone in the organization, having interviewed them all before, just to find out why they wanted to become Hunter.  
“Who is it then? You aren't compatible with everyone. In addition, some don't want support and you're looking for someone in your age group.”  
“Well recognized. Tell me, Netero, how much do you agree with Cheadle?”  
Silence spread, so she broadened her question a little.  
“Do you think one should always look for someone who fits consistently? Or do you think may an exciting and dangerous relationship could exist for a long time?”  
As soon as she had finished her sentence, he started to laugh. Loud and hearty, as if he hadn't heard a better joke in a long time. Confused, lowering the phone slightly, she grimaced. She had no idea what he found so funny about her question. Did she sound so incredibly desperate?

“You're asking me that?” He stifled a counter question before he started to laugh again.  
“You are the boss of both of us. You have many helpers. What's so funny?”  
“Actually nothing. Only, you ask me something that reminds me a little of my situation. Pariston, my representative, miraculously applies to this question. He always does the opposite of what I say. Never listen to me and make my everyday life a lot more interesting. I only made him a representative, just because he entertains me so well. As long as the situation is under control, it can not be bad. So you were looking for someone who represented your opposite?”  
“Not quite ...” She wasn't really aware of how she should answer him. “We are very similar, but he is far more playful than me. We want the same, but somehow not. We get along well, but sometimes we go into betting for entertainment. He's not exactly justice in person, and being honest is one of the rare words in his vocabulary anyway.”  
“Sounds like a Transmuter. That sounds like a good catch, after all, Emitters like you are extremely compatible with such people.”  
“What's wrong with you all? Compatible or not, he's the plague!”  
“Then why are you with him?” Innocently, Netero asked.  
“Because I like him, even though he's the plague.”  
“How exciting. So, if that's too much for you, we can swap. I will then start a unique romance of ephemeral youth for you. I bet I can easily wrap him around my finger!”  
“Hisoka.”  
“What?”  
“Hisoka. Big, crazy, playing with cards, red hair ...” She described her partner, unenthusiastic.  
“I ... start for you a unique romance of the very transitory youth! Torture instruments should certainly be available for sale in Yorknew!”  
Perplex she raised an eyebrow.  
“So we wrap him around the chair instead of the finger?”  
“They are for self-defense. Hisoka is something special.”  
“Really …,” she grumbled, turning to the street, as she had previously looked in the direction of the wide sea. From afar she could see the black car that was to take her.  
“The car should be coming now if I'm not mistaken. Let me just say one thing, as soon as you feel that the situation is slipping out of your hands, let go. There is no shame in running away from it if you can save yourself. You can always come back later and start a new attempt. You certainly don't have Plan B at hand, so don't be afraid to turn around.” The voice stiffened, giving her the courage she didn't need. She growled in agreement, then hung up.  
The car stopped in front of her, which she used and got in. As soon as she had sat down in the back seat, she shook her head in lost. If the situation slipped out of her hands, let it go. That sounded easier than it really was. It already had slipped out of her hands, everything, which she would have to dominate. When this mistake happened, she hadn't realized it, but it was impossible to get rid of Hisoka. She didn't want to let go, she just wanted to let herself drown in this excitement. Down in the depths of uncertainty.

♦ ♣ ♦

Again and again, her eyes closed if she remained careless for a second. Tired, she stumbled through downtown Yorknews, surrounded by vast amounts of the human species. She had to find a hotel to get at least a little sleep.  
Slowly, she wriggled past the masses until her eyes caught on to a child. In front of it was a doll, which moved gently up and down. It was nothing special if one knew about Nen. But for people without the necessary knowledge, it was an eye-catcher. A doll that moved without any strings. It had to affect outsiders like magic.  
But the really fascinating thing about it was the eyes. Sparkling, they sat in the head of the attraction, handcuffing Shiba in a way only a human could. Presumably, this was the real magic of a puppet. To shape the eyes so that they embodied a soul that wasn't supposed to exist.  
As if under hypnosis, she kept an eye on the little object, completely lost in the beauty that seemed to be behind the blue eyes.  
Blue, as admirable as the sea. Almost as if those eyes were begging for freedom. It reminded her of many things she had once wished for herself. Freedom was a dream many people could never live. Something, that many couldn't catch. It was reflected in its eyes and nobody could stop it. That's why it maybe was fair to say that each person carried his parcel.  
But with the thing in front of her, it was just a doll. She danced, seemed happy, yet so limited and left behind. When did she last see such blue eyes?  
Shocked Shiba opened her mouth a little. Almost as if she wanted to say something. But she could only think it. The eyes of this puppet reminded her of Luzhi. It was almost scary how similar they were. Restricted, looking for freedom, but far too fragile to set foot in the wide world.

“Is everything ok?”  
Torn out of her thoughts, Shiba noticed that the child was standing in front of her. Her big, turquoise eyes looked apologetically at her, not even understanding why.  
“Yes, everything alright. Why not?”  
“You're crying...”  
Shocked, she reflexively raised a hand to her cheek, only to realize that she had indeed lost a tear. It was incomprehensible to her why she had allowed herself to fall this low. It was just a memory that she couldn't even change. Luzhi was dead and had been for a long time.  
Sighing, she brushed away the tear and put on a smile so as to not disturb the girl in front of her.  
“I just remembered something.”  
“A bad memory?”  
“I don't know.”  
Whether it hurt when she thought back to the days, or whether it filled her with joy, she wasn't sure. Certainly, the end might be sad, but togetherness was a wonderful part of her memory.  
A little more calmly she looked at the person in front of her. Big eyes, blond hair and dressed in a blue jumpsuit, it seemed to be a girl, disguised as a boy. She could see it on the fine features of her face.  
“Life on the street is tough, right? As a girl, you're way more in danger as while playing a boy.”  
“How ...?” Visibly nervous, the girl came a little closer, to be able to speak even quieter. “How do you know I'm a girl?”  
“Your face. In my opinion, you are too feminine for a boy.”  
The little girl smiled briefly before she caught her eyes.  
“It's really not that easy as a girl. Guys have it a bit easier. You see something like that pretty often, right?”  
“Certainly. But I know it more because I grew up on the street as well.” Shiba encouragingly puts a hand on the girl's cap. “That time will pass.”  
“That pleases me. But there are things that will probably just pass when death knocks on the door.”  
“You shouldn't say that at your age.”  
“I am Retz. May I ask you for your name?”  
It came out of nowhere, but it didn't really bother her.  
“Shiba. My name is Shiba.”


	43. It's getting more

Immediately after confronting each other, they parted ways with the promise that one day they would surely see each other again.  
She found a place to stay, took a shower and got herself some clothes in a shop, in the hotel. No sooner had she done the bare necessities than she fell half to bed and fell asleep.  
♦ ♣ ♦

“It is your fault! You should have done something!”  
“You wanted to go away! You could have done something too. Our life isn't just about having fun.”  
“But you are the older one of us two!”

The voices choked in the dark. Uncertain, Shiba looked around. Blue eyes, sparkling as the sea in the sunset, shone in front of her. She knew those eyes. They were from the doll she had spotted on the street.  
“Wrong, my love. Wrong.” The voice of a young girl sounded behind her, causing her to turn around.  
“Luzhi?”  
“Shiba, Shiba, why did you leave?”  
It wasn't much that she saw, but it was enough to assure herself that she knew the girl. Half her face covered by a fan from below, she stood there in a blood-red dress. Barefoot so her dirty feet stood in contrast to the glowing fabric on her body.  
“There was nothing I could have done. You were already dead.”  
“Hyde. What happened to Hyde?”  
Swallowing, Shiba looked in a different direction. For a lifetime she had been most afraid of this question. No one would ever be able to ask her, at least not in real life. Logically thinking about it told her that she was actually sleeping.  
“I don't know,” she replied tersely, stepping back a little.  
“Are you scared of me?”  
“Do I have to be scared?” She returned the question. She probably had no fear, but it was absolutely uncomfortable to have to see this girl.

“Shiba? My beauty ...” Another voice came to her ear but didn't come out of the dream, as it looked. The ground beneath her gave way and before she knew it, there was nothing to else to hold on to.  
With difficulty, she opened her eyes a little. Her body didn't move an inch. She couldn't see the ceiling of the room because someone was hanging over her. A pleasant smell penetrated her nose, while she was trying to identify the person more closely. But the moon shone poorly into the room, just lightening his hair a bit. In stature, it could only be a man. His red hair passed well over his chin, looking a bit messy. Cut short, he reminded her of someone she knew.  
“Hisoka?”  
“No, not Hisoka. Whoever that is, you don't need him.” She felt him shifting his weight and coming closer. His voice was far lower than her partner's, so it wasn't hard to believe he wasn't Hisoka.  
He leaned towards her until his soft lips touched her ear.  
“I've been looking for you for so long, but I've never been allowed to speak to you. Can you imagine me breaking their rules? I couldn't help it. You are mine, all alone. Yet you are hungry for another man. His name is Hisoka, it seems to me. Unacceptable!” His breath on her skin made her nervous. Since she couldn't move, it felt strange. She couldn't quite say what she should think about her situation. The only thing she felt was that panic sprouted. Especially since the man seemed annoyed at her.  
“Shiba ... my beautiful, lovely rose, I await your return. Erskine, those people know you. You know me. Come home and give yourself to me.”

♦ ♣ ♦

Sweat bathed it shook her from her sheet and rushed her eyes into the room. She was alone, the door was locked and even the windows were closed. She could almost hear her heart beating as she crept out of bed uncertainly.  
It was still dark, reminding her that she had forgotten something important. Whimpering, she reached for her cell phone, which was found on the shelf. She hadn't received a message, nor was she called. Did Hisoka forget her?  
Quickly she scurried across the room, collecting her new clothes and disappearing into the bathroom. She was so sweaty that she had to shower again.  
As soon as she had this part finished, she slipped into her clothes. It was the same outfit she had worn in Padokia. Nervously tugging the dark red top a little, she slipped into the equally dark booties. On the way out of the bathroom, she pulled one of two black knee socks up. Somehow, nothing wanted to sit where it belonged. But it didn't really bother her. Other things were gathering in her head, driving her madder more and more. Where was Hisoka? Who was the man before? Surely she hadn't just imagined his presence. Why should she dream of an unknown stranger who asked her home? Anyway, from which home he spoke?  
She knew exactly what had happened in her life. At least a lot of it. The first five years were a bit blurry, but from the sixth, it went clear. She could be sure she hadn't married by accident. In general, she had never had much in common with men. So what did this man want from her?

As soon as she had squeezed herself out of the door to leave the room and escape from the hotel, she turned around. She had acted so precipitately that she had completely forgotten her weapons.  
Murmuring she found back, grabbed her defenses, fastened them to the waistband of the shorts and the braces on her legs, and ran again out of the hotel, quite upset. Equipped this time, she scurried across the empty streets of Yorknew without really pursuing a goal. Desperately, she looked around again and again before she came up with an idea that she had also ignored.  
In a panic, she grabbed the phone to reach Hisoka. He answered it, so she could shout at him without further ado.  
“Where the hell are you?”  
“Calm down Shiba. I wanted to let you sleep.” Apologetically it came from the other side, without any provocative undertone.  
“I didn't ask you to defend yourself!” She flicked on. “And where are you? What are you fucking thinking? You could have written a message! But you don't even think that's possible!”  
“You will wake up the whole city if you continue to shout ...”  
In a flash, she turned around, just to see Hisoka standing behind her. He didn't manage to put on a stupid grin as she had already grabbed him at the top of his top. Furious, she dragged him down to stare him deep in the eyes. Actually, she wanted to scream at him for a while longer, but to make matters worse, his eyes got her completely out of her mind. Almost as if she were looking at amber, his eyes sparkled with excitement. How could someone with such wonderful features be just such an idiot? Men like him should be forbidden, at least in her opinion.  
“How can I help you?” His eyes revealed that he liked the situation. At first, she didn't understand why, but when she wanted to tilt her head, her nose touched his, which also told her how close she was to him.  
“Nothing.” Hissing, she let go and turned away from him. Redness shot into her face, which she couldn't avoid.  
“Hm? What a pity,” he whined playfully behind her, but made no move to do anything.  
“So? Why are you hanging around here?”  
“I want to visit some friends.”  
She widened her eyes in surprise.  
“You have friends?”  
The corners of his mouth twisting slightly, while he looked away offended, he said nothing.  
“It's okay, I suppose, even people like you have friends.”  
“They are in the hospital.”  
“What happened?”  
“Just a little accident. Nothing special, but they are looking for something and I know where it hides.” He instructively raised his forefinger.  
“Why am I not surprised?”  
“Because you know how sensitive I am.”  
Disgusted, she raised her arms so that he could clearly see the protruding hair. Whenever he talked about his sensitive side, she had to remember how easy it was to excite him.

“Shiba?”  
“Don't talk to me. I'm not trying to run away screaming ...”  
“What would be so bad about that? You can come back when you're done with it.” Swinging his index finger back and forth, he looked at her in a terribly appealing way.  
“I wouldn't find you again.”  
“Then I'll just tie you to my Elastic Love. It'll keep bringing you back to me.” He lowered his fingers and leaned forward a little. “Exciting, right? Both of us, in the smallest of spaces.”  
Sighing, she came a little closer to him.  
“Do you know what would be even more exciting?”  
“Surprise me ...” The words came almost moaning from his mouth.  
“You, on your knees, in front of me as I wrap your stupid Bungee Gum around your neck with my own hands.”  
Grumbling, he licked his lips.  
“That would certainly be exciting on many levels.”


	44. Aid

Hisoka took her to a building that looked more like a tourist accommodation instead of a hospital.  
“So here are your friends?”  
He just smiled at her briefly before swinging his index finger up. She realized too late that he had his Bungee Gum attached to her and could thus catapult her up with a pull. Stiff as a board she flew up before she came upon a railing. It was part of a small balcony with a closed glass door just a few feet in front of it.  
Quietly, she jumped from her seat, onto the open space and took a brief look into the room. As soon as she understood who was on the other side, she backed away a bit.  
“They seem to be sleeping.”  
A quick glance to the side showed that the Trickster had come up too. The dark blue, crop top made the white trousers, as well as the pink bandages around the belly, neck, and arms, stand out much more. However, it was nothing new. He was always anxious to be noticed in some way.  
As her eyes caught on the yellow edges around his upper arms, he walked leisurely past her and opened the door without further ado. Shaking her head, she followed him, watching as he stood beside the bed of a person she was very familiar with.  
“What exactly do you want from Kurapika and what happened?”  
“Nothing special. He just doesn't have eyes anymore ...”  
Her features shifted into a grimace, examining the bandage closely. It had been tied around his head to cover his eyes. Incidentally, he moved back and forth as if he had an unpleasant nightmare. With one eye twitching, she thought back to the man who had broken into her room. He and Hisoka were really similar in terms of disrupting privacy.  
“Who's there?” Bathed in sweat, Kurapika asked after the persons in the room who he had felt, which led to something moving in the back.  
“You are ...!” Too loud, the person startled. He had slept on a sofa that wasn't that far from them. His eyes were glued to Hisoka, who was just smiling slightly. Shiba, on the other hand, looked closely at the man opposite her. She had already seen him once.  
“How sweet, the smell of antiseptic and your blood.” Her partner also spoke after everyone had noticed him in the room anyway.  
The blonde got up nervously. Surely he was far from comfortable with the idea that Hisoka was standing next to him, and he couldn't even see it.  
“Hisoka!” Was the only thing he exclaimed. This also led to the man on the sofa trying to get to his feet. But before he could do it, the person addressed had already drawn a card and positioned it near Kurapika. Near his throat, bored and lovely smiling, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.  
“You bastard! What are you doing here?”  
“Would it be possible to ask quieter?”  
Pitying, she looked back and forth between the two men before glancing at the blonde. He seemed restless but not as anxious as he should have been in such a situation.  
“It's okay. If that's what Hisoka wants, he could have killed me long ago. But he won't do it. It isn't his intention to kill me.”  
“Correct.” Slowly the Trickster took the card away, led it up to him as if he wanted to present it and smiled a little wider. He simply liked it if one managed to judge him instead of sinking into unnecessary panic.  
Sighing, she put a hand to her forehead.  
“Shiba?” Kurapika immediately recognized her.  
“Maybe...”  
“What are you doing here? And why are you with Hisoka?”  
“Ah? You are the girl from the auction house. A friend of Gon and Killua!”  
Both boys had now registered her presence as well, which is why she only pressed another sigh between her lips. She didn't want to really explain why she was wandering around on the side of a freak. Simply changing the subject, she tried to get to the heart of the situation. After all, she didn't even know what the Trickster was planning again.

“Isn't it much more interesting to find out why we are here?”  
As if giving a cue to Hisoka, he licked the edge of his card with relish, then waved it around a bit and gave an answer.  
“I thought I would tell you a little about the man who stole your eyes.” Putting his head slightly to one side, his eyes sparkling playfully.  
“What ?!” As perplexed as she was, seemed to be Kurapika, who almost screamed in shock.  
Her partner dropped onto a chair, which stood next to the exit to the balcony. Crossing his arms over his chest, Shiba also sought a better position. Gently, she settled on the bed, causing the blonde to flinch briefly.  
“Don't worry, it's just me.”  
“His name is Omokage,” the Trickster began his information release.  
“Omokage?”  
“I told you, right? Two or three years ago, I joined the Phantom Troupe where I traded with the guy who was once number four.”  
“Yes.”  
“That's the guy who has your eyes. He is a specialist who calls himself a dollmaker of the gods. He sneaks his way into people's minds and creates dolls that are based on the strongest feelings of the people.”  
“Dolls?”  
Shiba couldn't do more than roll her eyes. Even Kurapika could probably stand on the line. It wasn't even necessary to inquire. Hisoka would explain everything until even the last idiot understood.  
“The dolls become servants who follow exactly the instructions of Omokage. But while they are controlled by him, they don't lose their memories when they were still alive.”  
“Memories of life ...” The man with the glasses muttered softly to himself.  
“The dolls also catch the souls of real people. That's why the puppets have their own will as they perform Omokage's orders. Looks like he can't get enough of such tragedies.”  
For a moment she thought about the words. It was really a tragedy. To have a will that one couldn't follow. To be forced to do things you didn't want. There was no way out like a puppet on the strings of a player.  
The man Hisoka called Omokage, was by far a greater Trickster himself. While Hisoka games set up in which each had options, the stranger created games in which he controlled the once past lives of others.  
“So this guy lured us into a doll by Pairo, with the task of stealing Kurapika's eyes?” Who may have been older of the two boys, presented his summary. Although she didn't know who Pairo was, it seemed to be someone who could easily trap the two. Probably a friend of theirs.  
“Probably. After all, he is a collector.”  
A short silence crushed the room. The blonde bit his lower lip furiously while the other seemed to be thinking about something. Hisoka uses the moment to just continue.  
“The Omokage I defeated to become the new number four was a doll of his own.”  
“You bastard! You knew it and still-,” before Kurapika came to an end, the Trickster interrupted him.  
“Why did I let him live?”  
He closed his eyes briefly before he looked provocatively at the blonde.  
“Do you know what that means?” He licked his lips playfully again. “It would be a shame to put an end to the life of such a fun man so early.”  
“Your taste is awful, as always …,” Kurapika noted, which Shiba could only support. His taste was clearly not the best when she thought about what he was after. Chrollo, Omokage, and probably also some members of the Phantom Troupe, as she guessed.  
“Why do you share this information with us?”  
“Because you are as precious as Gon, a little, immature fruit. I won't allow you to get caught before you are mature.”  
Together with the two boys, she grimaced at Hisoka's words. Sometimes she really realized how twisted his character was.  
“Stop talking about such scary stuff ...” The man she met in the auction house spoke up.  
However, the Trickster probably stopped listening to him. He had already got up and strolled carefully back to the balcony door. Before he stepped out, he glanced over his shoulder.  
“Be careful. Omokage is a scary opponent.” He had hardly made his last statement when he was already gone. She hadn't even seen him jump over the parapet.

“Shiba?”  
“I'm still here and no, I have no idea where he's going again ...” Still staring at the empty balcony, anticipating Kurapika's question.  
“That's not it. Why are you with him?”  
“Kurapika?”  
“Hm?”  
“You have other problems than my relationship with Hisoka. Maybe another time.”  
“Hey!” Again the four-eye intervened.  
“What?”  
“My name is Leorio. If you're a friend of Gon and Killua, you can't be a bad person. Beware of this guy.”  
Waving, she also walked to the balcony and jumped elegantly on the railing.  
“You should take better care of yourself before you advise someone else to be careful.”

♦ ♣ ♦

Squeezing the air noisily between her lips, she stared at her partner's broad back. In fact, he didn't just disappear completely. A few corners further he had been waiting for her.  
“What is it, Shiba?”  
“Nothing, just ... your character is really fickle.”  
“So?”  
“Serious, sometimes playful. From time to time something disturbing and stupid, peppered with a creepy choice of words and infinite lines that I don't understand. Are you planning to play a game with them?”  
He paused for a moment, so she could catch up until she was at his side.  
“The game has long been started, set up by Omokage. We were only a small part, more of a kind of aid in this process. For the rest, all you have to do is watch and wait to see who wins. I'm curious how far they will develop ...”  
“Is that so ... do you want to run after them now, until they meet this puppeteer?”  
“Maybe, maybe not.”  
“Then that's all...” Her eyes dropped to the ground before she stopped, waiting for Hisoka to do the same.  
“You want to go?”  
“I was your Support for Greed Island. That concludes our cooperation.”  
Inwardly, she hoped he would say something. He would try to convince her that they could still work together. But he just looked at her. He probably was just thinking about how to express himself without annoying her.  
Her hope almost withered as the silence between them dragged on for minutes. Fortunately, he had not forgotten the answers. With her heart beating higher, she watched him as he opened his mouth.  
She didn't want to bother him with her presence and support, so he just had to say he wanted to keep her. After all, she didn't want to go on her own.

“Okay.”  
Her heart stopped for a moment, her pulse stopping racing, squeezing the blood painfully through her veins.  
“Okay?” She asked sheepishly.  
“As you said, our cooperation is over. It's time to go our separate ways again.” The smile on his face carved, he looked at her. She couldn't interpret it. It was neither playful nor provocative. It reminded her of sadness. But if it really hurt him, why didn't he say anything? They had become accustomed to each other and spent a lot of time together. Still, it didn't bother him to let her go.  
Not sure what to say, she turned away and headed in the opposite direction. Unable to look at him again, she tried to disappear as confidently as possible. The trembling, however, couldn't be suppressed, so she wrapped her arms around herself and increased the pace.  
Solely and alone, as far as possible, she wanted to distance herself. Praying that the painful stinging suffocated in her chest.


	45. Unintentional commitment

She let a whole day pass that she spent staring nonstop on her cell phone. Still hoping that Hisoka would contact her.  
But nothing came. No call, no message.  
On top of that, she was still occupied by the stranger who had called her his own. She should come home, were his words. But where was her home? The city she grew up in was the only home she knew.  
Shortly she closed her eyes. She was born in this country and grew up with a woman in a sparse house. When she was four, this woman, Madame Thiel her name, took in a newborn in the family. According to her, it was Shiba's little sister from now on. In fact, Shiba never doubted that she was related to the girl, because after all, they looked quite similar.  
Two years later followed another child, also a sister. Madame Thiel disappeared without a trace and she stayed behind with a four-year-old and a baby. At the time, she was just six years old.  
Why her mother didn't keep the children was a mystery to her. Maybe something had happened to her. Maybe she was ill too and couldn't take care of the children.  
There were people who wanted children so much but could never hold on to them. She was ready to forgive this woman.  
But the news got around quickly.  
Nobody knew an adult woman with the last name Erskine. Few people even thought that this woman had fallen into the hands of death.  
It was just Shiba and her two little sisters, with the conscience that her mother had already passed away. The disease theory was thus the closest.  
She thought about a father. Many men left their wives as they became a burden to them as soon as they became pregnant. Who knew what had happened? She, anyway, had no idea.  
So her home was this one city, with her two siblings.  
There was little point in going back. Anyway, she would expect nothing, except yawning emptiness.  
Sighing, she rolled over to the other side of her bed. If she didn't leave the hotel room soon, chances were not low that her brain was going mad. She had to find a new Hunter. After all, she couldn't stay alone forever.

♦ ♣ ♦

The sun was already setting as she strolled through the city, trying to distract herself. But nothing interested her enough to call up a thought other than the loss of Hisoka.  
She should have said something. Even if she didn't like it, it wouldn't have been wrong if she'd forced herself on him. Coming back to him at that moment seemed weak and that was the last thing she wanted to show him.

Her eyes fell on a young girl. The long, curly hair reached to the middle of her back. In combination with the black dress in Goth look, they literally radiated forth.  
To Shiba's surprise, the child seemed to have noticed her as she turned to face her. As soon as their eyes met, a pleasant smile spread on her lips.  
“Shiba.”  
“Retz.”  
Quickly she approached the blonde, who even waited for her. She seemed somewhat down, though. Her big eyes were anything but happy.  
“Nice dress. Did you buy it from your doll acting money?”  
“No, it's a gift from my brother.”  
Shiba faltered. If this girl had a brother who just gave her such a beautiful dress, she probably was not a kid on the street.  
So why these shows? Was it fun?  
“I can imagine what you are thinking about. Tell me, would you listen to me?”  
Amazement sprouted. She was so young and yet she seemed to carry something on the soul that slowly devoured her.  
“Sure.”  
“Let's go for a walk.”

♦ ♣ ♦

“My brother is a doll maker. He worked on them from an early age and I admired them all. They were so beautiful and always had that mystical expression in their eyes. As you know, the most important thing about a doll is that its eyes fit. You noticed, didn't you?”  
It was the feeling of a soul one encountered when you looked a perfect doll in the eye. The point that had once bound her.  
So she just nodded.  
“You know, for my brother, that wasn't good enough at some point. For him, the lifeless eyes of a doll never came close to those of a human. He wanted to give them a soul. A true soul. That's why he killed me and put my eyes in one of his puppets. An ability was born that now gives life to all these lifeless bodies.”  
She couldn't speak, just look wide-eyed in shock. If that was true, the man she said told about actually was Omokage. He was also in this city, after all, and he had torn Kurapika's eyes. She also said that she wasn't alive anymore. A tragedy, as Hisoka had described. A chaos of doubts if one just looked at the child.  
“Why are you telling me this?”  
“You're friends with the boy whose eyes were stolen.”  
“Kurapika ...”  
“My brother is trying to find the right eyes for me because it didn't work with my own back then. But seeing what he does is cruel. I don't want other people to suffer for my well-being. My brother, however, doesn't see that, which is why I'm telling you. Shiba, can you help me?”  
Uncertain, the white-haired girl tilted her head. She wasn't quite sure how to help her. Talking about him made no sense, as Retz explained.  
“What should I do?”  
“Set me free.”  
“How?”  
“The Nen connection between me and my brother has to be disconnected. However, he can always call me back. So there is probably only one way.”  
“You want me to kill him?”  
“You, the others, anyone. I don't want to live like that. A never-aging body, thinking that I'm nothing more than a doll.”  
“Don't you want to try it? Maybe you can convince him of something else.”  
“And what about me?”  
Her bright blue eyes were something she knew only too well. Luzhi had once given her this look. Same word choice, same feeling.  
Once she couldn't refuse this indirect request. This time it wouldn't look different.  
“I'll see what I can do.”

Gratefully, Retz smiled at her before she raised a hand and pointed her finger at a big house. Only then did Shiba realize they had been out of the city for a long time. Surrounded by lush green meadow and some isolated trees.  
“Where are we?”  
“My home. Come in, when you're ready.” The blonde nodded shortly before she headed alone for the building. Shiba stayed behind, stunned and without a plan.  
Her eyes literally rushed over the picture of her surroundings, scrutinizing the house and finally sticking to a figure who scurried across the roof of the house.  
Without thinking much about it, she also ran to Retz's home and circled it. She stopped at the back of the house.  
How was she supposed to get on the roof?  
Looking for a way to get up, she looked around. Just as she was about to turn to go around the four walls, something pulled on her clothes. Uncertain, she once turned in a circle but discovered no one.  
Before she knew it, she lost the ground under her feet. Someone had pulled her all the way up to the roof. Gracefully she landed on the boards, her gaze going down. It was high. Too high.  
So she clawed in the wood, in panic and didn't even dare to breathe.

“Oh? Fear of heights? How informative ...”  
Perplex she looked up to see Hisoka leaning calmly against a chimney and smiling at her. So he had catapulted her up with his Bungee Gum.  
“What are you doing here?”  
“Omokage is here,” he hailed happily, kicking off the stack and heading for her. He crouched down in front of her.  
“So you made friends with his little sister.”  
“And you have listened again.”  
“I just collected information.”  
Shaking her head, she raised her hand to rest on his leg. No sooner had she positioned this comfortably, she dug her fingernails into him.  
“What now?” She asked, trembling slightly, still the height in her conscience.  
“We are waiting. Kurapika and Leorio are on their way. They will take care of the problem and we will watch.”  
“Don't you want Omokage for yourself?”  
“Sometimes you have to make sacrifices if you want the selected fruits to grow.”  
“You're stupid.”  
“Maybe.”


	46. Strings - Part 1

Clinging to Hisoka's leg, they sat together on the edge of the roof and waited for the appearance of the two boys. The Trickster didn't say another word to her, which didn't bother her much. Rather, she wanted to have solid ground under her feet again.

"Ah!" A joyous exclamation to her side made her grasp the grip on Hisoka's leg.  
"What, ah?"  
"They are there."  
"Then don't just say ah!" Whimpering, she looked up at him. He, on the other hand, had formed his index finger and thumb into a circle and looked through it with one eye as if it were binoculars.  
She moved closer to his side, switching from his leg to his arm. She pressed his muscular upper arm so hard against her upper body, that he only purred a little.  
With difficulty, she stared in the same direction as Hisoka. It took a while for her to actually recognize two small figures in the distance.  
"Do you think they will just fight? I mean, Kurapika can't see anything."  
"Who knows. That's the surprise.”  
Rolling her eyes, she kept an eye on them. With each minute that passed, they visibly came closer until they finally stood in front of the house. They didn't seem to notice either Shiba or the madman at her side.  
They nodded briefly, then actually walked through the main entrance.  
Invitingly, she looked to Hisoka. He freed himself from her grip and put his arm around her waist. Only the fact that she lost all color from her face indicated that she knew what he had in mind.  
Squeezing her close to his body, he jumped off the roof, causing Shiba to cling around his neck in panic.  
As soon as they reached the bottom he let her go. However, she was already so stiff that she didn't even consider blinking at all.

"Shiba? We're down, you can let go. "  
She didn't answer him, didn't move to that. Slightly tilting his head, he just sighed briefly before grabbing her by the hip again. This time, however, he tried with all his might to pull her off.  
"I ... hate ... you ..." She panted, whimpering. In fact, this jump had been a lot worse than the one on the 200th floor of the Heavens Arena. She was able to prepare for this. She had ended her life at this point and was ready, more or less, to die.  
Thanks to Hisoka, however, it was so fast in this case that she couldn't even think before they were in free fall.  
"You don't," he mumbled, still busy getting rid of her. With success. Reluctantly, she released him and examined carefully how he set her gently on the floor.  
"Let us go inside."  
In general, his statement wasn't one of those that could be denied, simply because he had already slipped through the door before it even reached her.  
"Go to hell …," was all she could do at the moment, if only quietly.  
Unseen, she followed him, finding shelter in the shadows near the doors. The interior was more reminiscent of a church. A wide corridor, many benches and at the front a few steps, leading to an area, which one used for ceremonies in front of all eyes.  
Large windows under which gigantic archways were found.  
The dim light of the outside world lit up only moderately, so it wasn't even that hard to hide.

"Welcome to my doll villa!"  
Lights flickered across the room and a figure became visible. A man with long hair and a very lanky figure stood on a pedestal, well above the ceremonial surface. Dressed in a long cape, he made his appearance there. A piercing in the lower lip was probably the first feature that really stung her eyes. Shortly after, his eyes, almost empty. For insensitive reasons, they seemed lost, almost dead.  
"Are you Omokage?" She watched as Kurapika stepped forward slightly uncertain. "Answer me! Were you a member of the spiders at the time they attacked the Kurta Clan?"  
"He probably doesn't quite believe your story," whispering softly she turned to Hisoka, who only smilingly put his head in his hand.  
Omokage answered the blond's question with a laugh before turning to his left. "Pairo would know that."  
The light of a spotlight illuminated one side of his pedestal, revealing a small boy with brown hair. Clearly it had to be Pairo; after all, no one else came to mind who made sense in such a situation.  
"Omokage! You bastard, it is you I want an answer from!"  
"It was wonderful. I remember it as if it had only been yesterday. The warmth of the will that the Kurta Clan carried and ... the warmth of fresh blood."  
Kurapika jerked briefly before catching himself again.  
"Do you have any other red eyes except mine?"  
"Unfortunately, yours are the only ones. And these are currently the eyes of Pairo. Look. Pairo's petite body with Kurapika's passionate eyes. And...," Omokage showed to his right where another spotlight turned on, "Illumi's madness with the honest eyes of a boy I recently met. These complicated features, which don't match, can only be combined in puppets."  
The explanation of the Puppeteer interested Shiba only half as much as the man, which was presented second. Illumi was his name.  
His long, black hair reached to his hips. The front strands, however, only to the chest, where he kept his forehead free. He had a fine face. Less male than Hisoka's and his big eyes stood out as an unusual feature. Dressed in traditional Chinese combat clothing, he stood with his arms crossed in front of his chest. The muscles on his arms were quite pronounced.  
A quick look at Hisoka. This one was a little stronger.  
"Hm ... green ... not even as a doll he changes his taste." While the Trickster next to her gave a statement on the color of the clothes, she hardly got her eyes from Illumi anymore.  
He was good-looking, met her taste pretty much.  
But there was one thing she noticed.  
"Hey, Hisoka."  
"Hm?"  
As quiet as it was for both, they began to whisper together.  
"Don't you think that Illumi looks like the pretty girl from the Phantom Troupe?"  
"Machi?"  
"No, no! I mean the black-haired ... Kalluto was her name."  
"Ah, you mean the little boy who represents my replacement."  
She looked up at him, startled.  
"Boy?"  
"Hm? Yes. Kalluto is a boy. "  
Shortly forgetting, she turned back to the spectacle at the front. It was incomprehensible to her that a boy looked so much prettier than she. A real girl.

"Give Kurapika's eyes back!" Leorio's patience had also come to an end. He loudly intervened.  
"You misunderstand me. I didn't let you in here to give them back to you. Rather, to get the rest for me! Leorio, I'll take yours too."  
Lights on the sides flared up to illuminate the room more. Pushing further to the door, Shiba and Hisoka kept trying to stay in the shadows.  
"This is the stage and the people are the actors. There is no awakening, just dance, my dolls. Play for me!"  
Gracefully, both of his dolls, Illumi and Pairo, jumped off their pedestals and staggered toward their victims. The way they set up seemed to be a fight between Kurapika and Pairo, which meant Illumi faced Leorio.  
"Nice for you to make new friends. But I thought that I was Kurapika's only friend. "  
The brown-haired boy spoke to Leorio, drawing two wooden swords.  
"It's not just the eyes, is it?" Shibas question was always addressed to the Trickster.  
"It's the souls. I don't know how, but a specialist always has some special ability. He simply ties them to these dolls."  
"Tragedy."  
Together, they watched the course of the fight. No matter how she looked at it, most likely her opponents were not the simplest.  
"You are not Pairo! Pairo is dead! " The blond's languorous voice caught her full attention.  
"Yes. At the same time, I am alive. Controlled by a strong will that I can't resist. We also have to get your friend's eyes."  
"I won't allow that."  
Kurapika also drew two wooden swords, which he kept hidden under his blue hanger.  
"Naturally. But you know, I'm forced to kill anyone who gets in the way. Even if I don't want to do it."

The young Pairo attacked first. Jumping from the ceremonial surface, he struck Kurapika, who blocked the blows in a clean sequence with his swords.  
"Can I live as Pairo?"  
"You are nothing more than an object with the memories of Pairo."  
"But I can remember everything. Our grandfather and your mother, your father."  
He upset Kurapika with these few words. It was enough to storm him and ram one of the wooden swords deep in his stomach. Panting, spitting blood, the blonde stumbled back a bit.  
"Even if you die, you will clearly be reborn as a doll. We could live together."  
A loud serve made Shiba's head swing. Leorio was promoted at the same time by Illumi once across the church. He scored far worse than Kurapika.  
He, in turn, could barely dodge when Pairo hit his head. He was still a bit dizzy on his feet, though the blow hadn't really done much damage.  
"Kurapika ... pull yourself together ... you have to accept the death of the people you loved so much. That's the way Leorio got over the deaths of his friends," whispering softly to himself, the blonde tried to pull himself together. Shiba could hear it. The Nen, which she kept focused on the ears, paid off.  
"We belong together Kurapika. From now on, forever," threatening, Pairo raised his sword again. The addressed dodged exactly as if he could see the attacks. Right, left, once back. None of the blows touched him. At least until the last. He cut the bandage around Kurapika's eyes, which simply fell to the ground.  
He kept his eyelids closed, so one couldn't look at his missing eyeballs.  
"I'm surprised you're not sensitive to this fight." With a slight astonishment in his voice, Shiba spoke to the Trickster, who just watched the drama silently.  
"It's just dolls. Such things don't irritate me. The real people, on the other hand, would definitely be something else."  
"So you're still picky?"  
"Who wants fruits without taste?"  
Sighing, she glanced back at Leorio. He did his best not to die. He was clearly weaker than she had assumed. Illumi was very fast. His punches, all the kicks, one could hardly count them. Leorio kept falling back, arms raised protectively in front of his face, with no firm plan. Each time he tried to retaliate, the black-haired guy dodged, reappearing on the other side and continuing to beat his opponent. He landed one or two hits in the face.  
"Shouldn't we do anything?"  
"Hm ..." Hisoka thoughtfully put a finger to his chin. "Let's wait and see."  
"Leorio is just dying ..."  
"Don't underestimate him. He's a Hunter, after all, and he's got the bite."  
"He is what and .... what?"  
"Look."  
Following the instruction, she continued to watch. Illumi punched him across the benches, wiping the floor with him, and clearly standing well above the level of the suit carrier.  
"Don't you understand, Leorio? You are nothing more than a doll that dances around, as others want it to be. You only feel happy when you give courage to others. You can't do anything else anyway. Even if you make friends, where's the point if you have no strength to protect them? You're too soft." Illumi walked slowly to Leorio, who was lying on the floor. He didn't even manage to counter his enemy. He was too busy getting up somehow.  
"Well, I like this guy ..." Shiba mumbled to herself rather than to her backer.  
"Illumi?"  
"Yes, he is great."  
"Is he …?" Rather unenthusiastic, it came from Hisoka.  
"I have to look for a new Hunter anyway and ... my God, this man is perfect."  
He didn't answer, didn't groan. He simply stayed quiet while continuing to pursue the two fights.


	47. Strings - Part 2

 

"Don't try to win against people you don't stand a chance against." The black-haired man looked down on Leorio. He, on the other hand, only looked disapprovingly and actually started a counter-attack in form of words. However, Illumi didn't intend to let him speak and kicked him hard enough in the face so that he flew a few feet back. With his back first, he came up on the floor.  
"Yes!" Softly but cheerfully, Shiba voted for the stronger one of the two.  
Incidentally, the fight between Pairo and Kurapika was still in full swing. Both focused on their Nen to prepare for any coming attack. Shortly thereafter, both ran towards each other, a sword each directed at the opponent.  
The wood just missed, but someone seemed to hit. The Nen shattered and left the two Kurta, staying in the same position.  
Leorio, on the other side, seemed finally to have found a plan after all the beatings. He, too, focused his Nen more closely on the defence, so he could better intercept Illumi's punches. Just as Shibas favourite wanted to make the decisive impact, the suit wearer made a clean turn. All this time he had been waiting for an opportunity that would make his enemy careless. He used this moment to make a clean cut through the throat with a dagger.  
"That came unexpectedly …," she grunted, sighing softly.  
"It's probably because he's just a doll that sees everything from the perspective of an innocent boy. It's not very compatible, and even if you can put it together that way, the elements are not matched." Hisoka leaned over her shoulder to avoid being too loud. Nodding, she took note of the statement. It was logical that inappropriate things were biting. And even if one could put them together, mistakes were inevitable.  
The back and forth between the other two had also died down. The little boy, Kurapika's best friend, was leaning against his chest, waiting for his end.  
"Kurapika. Was the ... outside world exciting?"  
Shiba had to lean forward a little to understand the condition of both better. The blond man kept his head down as one of his wooden swords passed through the little boy's petite body.  
"What's happening?"  
"There were a lot of horrible and painful experiences. But I have found friends with whom I can share all these," finally Kurapika answered the question of his friend.  
"Is that so? I'm delighted for you."  
It was all before Pairo's body lost the rest of its power and fell to the ground. Not completely, as the blonde caught him, but shortly thereafter a blue, bright light lit up. It was the moment when the connection between Nen and Soul was broken. They were free.

Leorio came to a stop in front of the lifeless body and his friend. He opened his eyelids so that one could see that his eyes were back in place.  
The joyful moment of togetherness was interrupted by Omokage, who laughingly applauded in the hands.  
"Why do all the bad guys have sharp fingernails?" Shiba had already noticed at the beginning, that the doll maker wore the nails longer and pointed. She glanced up at her Trickster, who only looked questioningly at his own nails.  
"Mine aren't natural, so, there are differences."  
"Really?"  
"Bungee Gum and Texture Surprise."  
"Texture Surprise? Again such a funny ability?"  
She was interrupted when Omokage ended his clapping and announced his next surprise.  
"A tragedy has the sweet taste of honey. Sadness is the taste of life. We owe it to all of my dolls that you can test this taste. Be grateful!"  
Uncertainly laying her head back, Shiba watched the man on the pedestal. He was clearly a lot more brain-worn than Hisoka. While the Trickster raved about ripening fruits, the doll maker introduced his honey-flavored works. For a moment she thought back to William. He was a lot less funny, just sneaky. Although she didn't know what she was going to find worse, Hisoka and Omokage clearly formed a wonderfully messed-up team in her eyes.  
"You have no way to escape!" Pointing energetically to the puppeteer, Leorio was already yelling again as if nothing had ever happened. "Come down here!"  
"Do you want to know why I joined the spiders? I wanted dolls from them. The reason I left was that I had all the dolls I wanted."  
No sooner had he finished his sentence when clouds appeared on the sides of the church. They were created through the lid of the coffins, which she noticed only then. An entire group of people, members of the squad, came to the fore.  
"My dearest troupe. There is no way you can beat them all."  
As soon as the puppeteer had given his statement, he gave them the sign to attack. Machi stormed ahead, towards Leorio, who was able to dodge, but nearly got into another's arms. It was the blond guy in the sports suit she knew from the auction house.  
A tall, heavily built man and, in return, a tiny, half-masked type, meanwhile devoted themselves to Kurapika.  
Even Nobunaga wasn't neglected and cut them with clean maneuver by the sword, the paths to dodge almost completely impossible to use. Shiba could feel her heart beating faster. She wanted to fight him so much.  
Chrollo, on the other hand, held a book in his hand to summon something strange, which he called 'Indoor Fish'. These beasts looked rather like huge eels.  
The dolls then came to a halt, the fish took over a major part of the attack. The only one who didn't want to stop was Machi. She used the fish rushing down from the air to attack as well. The two boys were clearly trapped.

"How can you have such problems with such simple opponents?"  
Hisoka, who seemed to have found his motivation, emerged from their hiding. Uncertain, Shiba looked after him. In fact, he started to help.  
With much momentum, he threw two of his cards in the direction of the fish, which dug deep into their heads. It was enough to get them completely off course.  
Meanwhile, he was past Kurapika and Leorio to stop Machi. Shiba was immensely pleased when he slammed his fist into her chest so hard that it could be heard breaking.  
Together with the fish, the pink-haired fell to the ground, with a rather big hole gaping in her chest.  
Uncertain what Shiba should do herself, she stepped out. She was with Hisoka in this church so she would give him support on her own.  
"Why do you have such a hard time against a few dolls?" The Trickster directed after his heroic deceptive smiling to his two backers, who stared in astonishment. She patted them on the shoulders sympathetically, so that they turned to her in a flash.  
"Hisoka? Shiba? What are you doing here?"  
"Instead of destroying the puppets one by one, it would be easier to block Omokages Nen," Hisoka didn't respond to the question, changing the subject instead. She didn't make a sound and just pushed past them, at Hisoka's side.  
"You play the knight in shining armor, Hisoka?" Omokage greeted his new participant with a grin. "I will also add you to my collection."  
"Omokage, I won't allow your actions any longer!" Kurapika, who still seemed terribly upset, once again turned to his opponent.  
"I'm not asking for your approval."  
"You have no right to dishonor the deceased!"  
"Retz is also incredibly sad" Shiba couldn't resist the words.  
"Retz?"  
"That's the way it is. She is unhappy, don't you see that?"  
"Be quiet! What would an outsider like you understand? Your reasons don't even interest me. All you have to do is become part of my collection as well."  
She stared at him in bewilderment. He didn't even know what she could do.  
"As if people like you would ever recognize the beauty of a doll!"  
"Emperor Time!” She didn't hear any more besides her. A quick glance, diagonally backward, gave her an interesting picture. Kurapika gathered his Nen as his eyes turned bright red. She had seen those eyes before. In a glass, at the auction. In the end, she also understood why he looked so terribly angry that day as he sat next to her.  
The Kurta were probably a group of people with those eyes that were recognized as beautiful in this world.  
"As you wish …" Omokage turned away from her and gave all his attention to Kurapika. "I will be your opponent."  
After such a long time, the puppeteer finally found his way from the podium. Gracefully he jumped down, exclaiming the words 'Doll Catcher' so they could all hear it. Three of the Phantom Squad dolls disappeared and the only thing that could be seen was how they were pulled into Omokage's body almost transparently. Similar to being one.  
Beside Chrollo, he landed, surrounded by blue Nen, with difficulty to get up. His joints seemed stiff as he picked himself up.  
"Well, shall we start?" He didn't really expect an answer. "Double machine gun!"  
He stretched his hands out in front of him, with the heavy guy behind him like some kind of ghost. The tips of his fingers broke and the next moment Shiba realized that she had seen him before. The person who copied Omokage had been Ivlenkov's killer.

She looked briefly at Hisoka, who, however, had put his hand thoughtfully to his chin and watched the action. She wouldn't get him from the spot, so she decided to just tear the bench out of the ground in time. Leorio and Kurapika jumped behind pillars that held the ceiling. Shiba, on the other hand, threw the heavy wooden bench with a proper amount of force in the direction of her enemy, so the bullets didn't reach her partner.  
"Then I suppose, the one I'm going to play with …" Hisoka set his goal and waited until the shot-fire ended.  
"Shiba?"  
Nervously, she turned to her Trickster. He would ask her something for the first time and that couldn't be good.  
"I'll leave the others to you. I take over Chrollo." Grinning happily, he made a rather happy tone before he rushed to the object of his desire. Stunned, she followed him. He was crazy, in a unique way.  
Sighing, she reached for her sword. She didn't want to take any risks, so she preferred to use the right method to fight.  
Following Hisoka quickly, she added more speed, to get past him. She saw already coming that two of the other dolls would stand in the way. More specifically, the blond handsome, and half-masked black-haired.  
The first of them drew a needle. A visible sign that he could only be a Manipulator. So she pulled a pistol and shot him in the wrist as fast as possible, so he backed away. A second shot was for the hooded man, but he simply cut her projectile with a sword. Shortly thereafter, he swung the metal down on her, which she countered with her own blade. With that, she created enough space to let Hisoka pass.  
It wasn't possible to keep watching the others. Only shots and the breaking of wood still reached her ear. For the first time in her life, she faced a swordsman. Not Nobunaga, as she would have liked, but it was considered a good exercise.  
She pushed the man away and backed down as he passed her sideways several times with his sword. Waiting for a suitable moment, she let her own blade circle once in her hand, before she took out and stabbed him head-on. Of course he dodged, which was also the meaning of the matter. She just missed him and stroked gently his cheek. But her biggest advantage was the speed when she fought with the sword. Unlike the pistols, she didn't have to aim and could move on the ground as fast as she liked. A lunge to the side, which she used to turn with much momentum. There was no time for her opponent to counter-attack, just for defence. That's why he raised his sword at the side to catch her next blow. However, she liked to stabilize her blade in such cases with Nen.  
The spin came, the metal hissing through the air, hitting the black-haired man's blade. She severed his weapon cleanly, didn't stop and knocked his head off his shoulder. It flew only a little up because the fast maneuver but brought a sizeable gust of wind with it. Before his body sank to the ground, she put her sword back in its shell. They were really just dolls. Far too easy to deliver a proper fight.

Her eyes wandered back to the Trickster, who gracefully avoided the blade of Chrollo. One in number and quite unusual if she looked at it more closely. Hisoka missed a kick on the side of his victim and narrowly missed the next cut down.  
Maybe that was exactly what he had been waiting for.  
"Bungee Gum!" Raising an index finger, she saw the black-haired man's sword, which she had fought seconds before, move. She hadn't even noticed Hisoka marked it. It flew neatly into an arc behind Chrollo before it pierced his back and found its way out through his chest.  
Staggering, the boss of the spiders continued to fight and shuffled uncoordinated in the direction of the Trickster. Challenging, he backed away slightly, his arms raised questioningly. He simply used the second act of his elastic love to cut him. The cards he had previously thrown at the fish cut through him like a sheet of paper.  
"In the end, without a soul, that's all you can do. How disappointing."  
Shaking her head, she watched him until she saw Omokage cast his eyes in her direction.  
"I'm done here," provocative, the clown mentioned the obvious. Definitely, a part that didn't make the puppeteer happy.  
"Go to hell, Hisoka. How dare you do this to my dolls?" With the living machine gun turned in his direction, he started to shoot the Trickster. But to Shiba's astonishment, he easily avoided each individual projectile. If she was fast herself, then this man could clearly teleport himself.  
Kurapika and Leorio used this moment to attack. Dismissing from his ultimate goal, he targeted the two to finally get them out of the way.  
"Listen carefully, people. I'll crush you like rotten apples."  
Again she shook her head. Omokage was clearly related to Hisoka. With this choice of words, there were only a few who wouldn't necessarily go to nausea.  
Without a break, he shot at the two guys, forcing them to dodge. They were both running in different directions. Leorio tried from one side to use his dagger as a weapon by throwing it. Omokage, on the other hand, noticed his intention and blocked the blade in flight with the two other puppets, which emerged like ghosts from him. One of them crossed the gap in record time and punched the suit carrier back across the church. She, at Leorio's point, would have been left lying after fighting Illumi.  
They wouldn't get Omokage like that. Making sure once again that they were really done, she made a decision. Since Hisoka had taken care of the handsome boy, between Chrollo and the attempt to die, nothing really remained.  
She danced ahead like a bait and pulled both of her pistols to shoot at the puppeteer. Nobunaga fended off her projectiles, which brought her opponent to a mocking grin. Lovely, she countered the stupid grin and put away both weapons before she passed him.  
"Chain Chail!"  
He hadn't noticed Kurapika emerging on the other side and using his chain jail. Omokage saw it too late, which meant that he was wrapped by the chain on the finger of the blonde. Immediately, the ghostly forms of the remaining dolls vanished and Nen disappeared around his body.  
With difficulty, he tried to free himself. The chains, however, were incredibly stable, so they didn't even move an inch.  
"I have decided that this ability only works on the members of the Phantom Squad. But since you were involved in this, in the attack on the Kurta clan and still have the tattoo of the spiders, you are in my eyes still a member."  
"You really think that you caught and kept me that way?"  
"Shut up. Be quiet. Judgment Chain."  
Another chain, with threatening lace, appeared. It remained floating near the blond's hand.  
"I'll give you a condition. Obey me and I release you."  
"What do you intend to do if I disobey?"  
"This chain will invade your body and crush your heart."  
A soft giggle sounds from the side of the player.  
"Why can't you understand the brilliance of my dolls? Besides eternal life, your wonderful eyes would live on. Don't you think that's wonderful?"  
"Pairo never asked for such things! You just forced your will on him."  
"That's it, you made Retz suffer because of your own desire," Shiba also gave her opinion.  
"Retz? Suffer?"  
"As a matter of fact. She probably never wanted all those eyes."  
"Shut up, damn it!"  
"You should give up Omokage."

He turned back and forth before Kurapika tore him out of his doubts.  
"From now on you are no longer allowed to use your Nen skills."  
"So I will never be able to create dolls again?"  
"You are the one who decides between yes and no."  
"If I can't make dolls, I'm as good as dead. But don't think you won. Even if I die, the dolls will stay alive. And they will kill you. My answer is no!"  
"Then die." Just as Kurapika was about to punch his opposite with the floating tip, Leorio intervened. He stared at the chains as though released from a reflex.  
"You killed enough people, let me do that."  
In protest, he tried to find his friend over, but the suit carrier was sure of his words.  
"Retz?" Out of the corner of her eye, Shiba noticed the little blonde running towards her brother. At first, she thought that the girl might be able to protect him, but she was missing. With a knife in her hand, she stormed toward him to sink it into his back. Omokage immediately spat a considerable amount of blood before he could ask why.  
"If I were alive, I would certainly have done just that," her words sounded almost liberated.  
"What are you saying? You have eternal life ..."  
"No. Brother ... you're not a god of the humans." She gently hugged him from behind. Even in his last moves, he didn't seem to want to let go of people's impurity.  
But before the three remaining ghosts could do something, they were completely wiped out, which Shiba realized only perplexed.  
The right members of the spiders had found their way to the church to put an end to the game.  
"Was that you?" Uncertainly she turned to Hisoka.  
"What do you think?"  
Judging him, she looked at Hisoka, as he was more or less half ajar behind one of the pillars so that he didn't immediately get noticed.  
Without really doing anything, they exchanged a few words with Kurapika, which consisted largely of threats and a promised reunion. They already had to know each other extensively if they tapped the behavior.  
"We'll kill you as soon as the matter is settled with our boss," said Nobunaga, waving angrily. Whimpering, Shiba looked after him. Surely it wasn't a suitable moment to fight him.  
"We can't do much here, but at least we could make sure that this bastard does not touch the dolls." Even the blonde in the sports suit turned away. After him also the others. In fact, they had only occurred for this one act. A troop of killers, which appeared, for nothing more than a miserable destruction of dolls. Shiba would probably never understand the mess.

"And we'll kill you too, Hisoka."  
So the Trickster had been noticed.  
"What an honor."

Before she could return to the usual spectacle, a fire broke out. Inexplicable and corroding, as it wrapped a large part of the church in a few minutes.  
"Hisoka, we go!"  
"Okay."  
Without contradicting, he followed her out of the building while the others stayed behind. Anyway, there was nothing left to entertain him, so it no longer mattered to him to stay.

♦ ♣ ♦

The sun was high in the sky as they both came to a halt on an observation deck, watching one of the airships take off. Hisoka was almost thrilled as he watched it.  
"Well then. Once again we've done something productive."  
"Hm..."  
"Hisoka ... what are you going to do now?" Innocently, she inquired about a new destination.  
"Who knows. Maybe I'll go back to Padokia."  
"Heaven's Arena?"  
He took his eyes from the sky and directed them in her direction. She tried to look as innocent as possible, but she was so nervous that her shoulders shook.  
"Are you coming with me?"  
"Huh?" She stared at him, blinking, perplexed.  
"You don't have to, but you could. There are still some nice things we could do." He playfully approached.  
"Only if you officially accept me as your Support!"  
He stopped, the smile on his lips seemed different than usual. Friendly and clearly quite satisfied.   
"Okay."

 


	48. Living memory

Again she stood in the middle of the city. Soon she would leave Yorknew, that much was clear. Hisoka wanted to go back to Padokia, even though she had no idea why. But first, he wanted to inform himself about something. Since, as usual, he gave her no more specific information, she agreed to his plan. After all, he could call her if they left.  
Thus, she once again sauntered through the crowd, which was simply oppressive to her. Lately, she had been pushed through too many crowds. At the auction, after she came from Greed Island. Yorknew was a city that only looked beautiful at first sight. Not so reassuring as Antokiba, rather intriguing right from the start and suffocating after a while. A city that consumed people.  
She would enjoy being in Padokia again. After all, her last visit there had been the one who had led her to Hisoka in the first place.  
She paused, stopping in front of a shop window.  
She had killed someone and disappeared. If she returned, it was more than obvious that she was imprisoned. Whatever her partner wanted to do, she was limited.  
Sighing, she looked at herself in the shop window. She looked tired, hadn't slept properly for a long time. Specifically, since she returned from the game. She would probably have to ask the Trickster to let her rest. It didn't seem to be a big problem for him to stay awake a little longer. For days. But she couldn't follow him if he didn't give her a breather.  
  
"Tiring, isn't it?" A rather deep, but beautiful female voice sounded beside her. Questioningly, she turned to the woman at her side. One moment, the absolute shock. Her long, black hair reached down to her hips. A beautiful young woman, with bright blue eyes.  
"Hyde ..."  
She stared a little at the other. It was incomprehensible how this woman could stand before her. A woman who should be at the tender age of nineteen. Two years younger than Shiba herself. Dead. So, what she saw couldn't be right. A dead woman couldn't live and talk to her. She was sure of that.  
"What's happening? Can't you bear my sight, after all, that you have done?"  
"Whoever you are don't pretend to be someone you aren't."  
"Don't you think I look perfect? So similar? It's me, Hyde."  
She came a little closer, forcing Shiba to retreat. She was right, if Hyde had ever gotten older, she might look just like that. But that didn't change the fact that it would never happen and that this woman did something to her that was unacceptable.  
She stole the identity of another person. A personality Shiba had loved. Without limits, without condition, until she died.  
"Run away. That's probably all you can. You ran away from Luzhi and you gave me up." The look on her face was reminiscent of an unhappy child. In fact, she seemed to think she was holding the upper hand. Hurt her and do anything else. However, Shiba had accepted the topic a long time ago. Nothing would shake her in this area. After all, it was years ago and she had shown enough regret.  
"I wonder who runs away from both of us. You're the one who can't let go, trying to upset me. Judging by your behavior, you have to be her only friend. With me everything that is left. Nineteen years old, how was your name?"  
"My name doesn't matter. Right now I'm Hyde and I'm here to hurt you. Really hurt you. I want you to go through these days again and again. You deserve it. Rather, you should have died, but right now, I'd find it better if you suffer. I'll punish you in the name of Hydes and-," she didn't get any further because her air was cut off by a single grasp.  
Shiba had exceeded her patience limit. The disgusting thought of someone stealing someone else's identity nearly made her strangle. Especially since this woman was fixated on something that was absolutely nonexistent. She interfered with something beyond her own problems. Intrusive. Absurd.  
It was why she grabbed the stranger by the neck to cut her words off. Neatly building up the pressure, she looked stubbornly into her eyes. 'Hyde', as she called herself, was desperately reaching for Shiba's wrist, but she couldn't muster the strength to free herself.  
The crowd drew together so closely that not even anyone noticed her victim gasp for help.  
"Listen carefully. Even if Hyde was your friend, the rest is none of your business. She is dead and yes, it is my fault. But you have no right to do this. Neither talk to me nor expose you as someone else. Should you bother me again, I will kill you."  
For a moment, she held on to her counterpart before letting go. Panting, she staggered back, tried to say something, but Shiba had already turned around and disappeared into the crowd.

♦ ♣ ♦

"Did you get your information?" She sat down at the table of a café, grumbling. The Trickster sat on the other side, a cup of coffee under his nose as he watched her, smiling.  
"Absolutely. You, on the other hand, don't seem to have slept or relaxed."  
"Really?" The sarcasm in her voice was unmistakable.  
Slowly he raised his hand to order the waitress to the table. She came to them immediately, ready to receive an order.  
"The pancakes as number seven," ordered her partner, not even looking up at the woman. Shiba found it incomprehensible how he could eat while she looked like death itself. He would probably never change.  
"So, where are we going exactly?"  
"Padokia, Heaven's Arena. Battle Olympics. We will certainly have a lot of fun there."  
"Do you plan to attend this event?"  
"Depends on who the participants are." Purring, he put his head in his hand. He seemed far calmer than he usually was. He didn't excrete a thirst for murder, nor did the instinct seem to catch him after a hunt.  
"What are you planning?"  
"You know, I long for a fight with Chrollo."  
"And he's waiting for you in Padokia?"  
"Who knows..."  
She just shrugged before she saw the woman next to her. She held a plate in her hand, which she put in front of her nose.  
"Enjoy your meal."  
Shocked, Shiba looked after the waitress and then at the plate.  
"Your order, Hisoka."  
"This is for you."  
"For me?"  
Once again she looked at the food in front of her. Four pancakes, stacked. Over them a lot of chocolate sauce. Examining, she took the fork, which was also to be found on the plate and raised the upper one of them. Bananas and strawberries were found among much more chocolate under it.  
"Do you want to kill me?"  
"It is said that women are calmed down faster if one gives them something sweet. You can have more if you like. "  
Her eyes widened.  
"Hisoka, are you sick?"  
His smile, too, gave way for a moment of nausea. She liked it when she could upset him. Once again he had behaved normally. How a man should behave towards a young woman.  
A small fragment of himself that she didn't want to forget. No way. Because it made him quite human.  
That's why she was whispering something afterward, as it simply made her happy.  
"Thank you."


	49. Torture

"Achoo!"  
With an indefinable sound, she dropped her head on the table. Thanks to too little sleep, too much stress and endless sweats, it had finally caught her. A cold, vicious and expectorant.  
"Achoo!" Again she gave a loud sneeze, where she slightly lifted her head and hit the table again. Just a scraping sound let her look up briefly. Hisoka had put a cup in front of her face and didn't look at her with a smile for a change. He seemed calm, waiting to reach the new destination.  
"What's this?"  
"Something warm to drink, after all, it would be a shame if you get even sicker."  
She raised her head to inspect the fluid inside but lowered it again without taking any of it.  
"I don't want..."  
"I'll leave you if you get the flu," he said, raising his index finger, causing her to sit up in a flash and dump the liquid all at once. She forgot that it was a hot drink, so she howled loudly so that the bartender looked at her shocked.  
"Next time I'll blow before I push it over to you ..."  
"Just stop me!"  
Examining her lips, she looked out the window. They had bought a ticket for the journey with an airship. Since she still had no money, the costs were on Hisoka.  
"Why are you so eager to fight strong people? Why not just be a Hunter?"  
"Hm ... how about you?"  
"Hm?"  
"Why are you so keen on being Support and finding a Hunter?"  
She fell silent. She had never even thought about it. She wanted a partner because she couldn't handle time without one. More specifically, the post as Support was one of the best ways she got. If she had to be alone in the long run, she fell into a world of loneliness. A terrible corner of life that was hard to leave again. That's why she wanted to live as Support Hunter. Simple to escape the gray, drab world.  
So if she had a reason, then Hisoka had to have one, too. Probably something that was related to his past.  
"Are you telling me?"  
Briefly, he studied her before leaning forward a little.  
"Entertainment."  
♦ ♣ ♦

Panting, she ran after him, coughing again and again. By the way, the sweats made it more terrible and just when she thought it couldn't get any worse, she set foot in the next ice age. Chills, as she found out.  
The Trickster, on the other hand, kept a small margin of safety to prevent her from infecting him. Nevertheless, he kept looking back, to make sure she was still moving ahead.

"We'll be right there." He almost encouragingly pointed to the building that was building up in front of them. Just like her first visit, it was simply graceful and undisputed in its splendor. Although it was so huge and the white color seemed flawless, the sight filled it with more life than all of Yorknew.  
Still, it was a long way, at least in her view.  
"You expect me to be happy about the fact that my rescue is still about half an hour away?" She snapped, coming to the corner of her mouth, annoyed.  
"Five minutes."  
"That's what I'm saying?! We should have taken a car ...”  
He, too, grimaced, crossing his arms over his chest. "What would you do if one kidnapped me right now?"  
"I'd send you a farewell letter, you disgust!"  
Ignoring his stupid hum, she stumbled past him. Dizziness set in, the stress he put on top of her. Unconditionally drifting to the left, she ran into another man, from whom she didn't even stumble back. She stood with her head against his chest, mumbling indistinctly: "Sorry."  
It was just too crowded inside the city to have anyone avoiding anything right through.  
"No problem, are you a participant in the Battle Olympia?"  
Looking up, snorting, she looked into the almost sparkling eyes of a tall man. Even bigger than Hisoka, it seemed.  
Armed with a microphone and a cameraman behind him, he revealed himself as a reporter. Not a bad opportunity to repay Hisoka.  
"Not me, but the clown behind me!" She exclaimed happily, causing the reporter to look past her confused and then back to her.  
"Which clown?"  
She turned around, startled. Hisoka was gone. While she was trying to annoy him, he had actually made off.  
"Excuse me." With a smile, stiffer than any board, she turned away from the still confused man and set out to run the rest of the way. She ran as best as she could, hoping she would catch up with him somehow.

♦ ♣ ♦

She looked up, wiped once with the back of her hand over her mouth. Once she reached the entrance to Heaven's Arena, she could no longer keep up. Everything she'd possibly eaten found his comeback in the nearest bin. She hadn't had to vomit like that for a long time.  
As soon as she had finished this part, she stomped into the interior of the arena.  
The entrance was literally flooded with crowds. Some with cameras, others with equipment, as if they were ready for a really tough fight. Probably participant of the event. She looked around for examination before she sneaked to the reception.  
"Welcome, how can I help you?"  
"I'm looking for my partner."  
"Your boyfriend? Did you lose him in the crowd?"  
She was a little shocked by the 'boyfriend' but swallowed an improvement.  
"Is everything alright, you look so pale ..."  
"Yes, everything is clear. No, I haven't lost him. He arrived here before me and probably has one of the rooms somewhere on the upper floors, or something ... "  
"What's his name?"  
"Hisoka."  
"And further?"  
Terrified, her eyes widened. She had no idea what the Trickster's surname was. She alone had needed a little eternity to find out his normal name.  
"I ... I ..." She stuttered, thinking. Did he ever say something? Or the others?  
"Wait a minute ... I received a message from one of the rooms above. It looks like you're expected by someone. Your name is Shiba Erskine?"  
"Absolutely!"  
"Hallway 245." Friendly nodding, she put a card in front of her nose, which probably allowed one to go further up. It was a bit strange that they didn't seem to recognize her. Maybe it was also due to a separation of registers. One for participants, one for visitors.  
Gratefully Shiba took the card and headed straight for the elevator.  
In this, she searched desperately for a slot for the card but found none. Thus, she was first transported to the two hundredth floor, where she switched to the staircase. A door, a few meters to the right of the elevator. Maybe she would find a way up if she was a hall above the 'normal' fighter one.  
To her detriment, however, the stairs weren't on her side. They seemed endless, as the staircase did.

Again and again, when she thought the door to the next corridor was about to open, more stairs followed, but no exit.  
Whimpering, she sat down on the heel of a step and buried her face in her hands. A cough before she started to sniff. If it went on like that, chances weren't bad that she just howled.  
She was ill, she was burning inside, her nose was running and everything hurt. Hisoka stressed her immensely and she didn't want to start to talk about the stairs. She was just tired of the fact that everything was fundamentally against her. With the lucky charm of Laki, she would certainly have had to endure half as much trouble.

The vibrating of her cell phone distracted her for a second. With a look at it and the fact that she had a message from Hisoka, she thought twice about whether she had the honor to look into it. Maybe he had something interesting to say.  
It was nothing more in his text than, as expected, the information about a lift to the upper floors. Behind it a strange smiley, which should probably embody him. It didn't help her because she didn't even know when she would be released from the catastrophe called staircase.


	50. Time-out? Not really...

Still half hanging from the doorknob almost sitting on the ground, she stared at him.  
A few yards away, she found the Trickster sitting on a green sofa, building a house of cards. Behind him the sunset, which fell through the window front, as well as a TV, hanging from the ceiling and announcing the games. As it seemed, the people were only allowed in the audience's hall when they received one of the limited tickets.  
"Ah, how enviable!" It came from Hisoka who held two cards in one hand to put them on his house of cards. One of his legs placed comfortably on the other and one arm down the back of the sofa, he paid only a glance to the show.  
"Your situation rather less. How can you damn idiot just leave me behind? It took me the damn half day to get here! And you sit here and build a house of cards! Maybe I would forgive you if you were dying now, but you're breathing!"  
Briefly, she looked again at the screen above him. Neon was shown, followed by Kurapika and Melody. They seemed to be well.  
The Trickster also looked back, only to watch the picture joyfully.  
"Look, what a pleasant visit."  
"Hisoka!"  
He listened attentively to her. Meanwhile, she had pulled herself halfway up the doorknob, glaring at him angrily.  
"Right! You should take a bath. I put some things in the bathroom for you. The women on this floor are really helpful," he purred as he finally placed the cards on the already standing ones.  
"I tell you, I'll kill you today if the clothes contain anything perverse."  
"Sometimes I really wonder what you think of me. I'm not very interested in seeing anything about you that's being covered right now."  
Her jaw almost clattered to the floor at his sentence. Indirectly, she took it as a 'you're not exactly pretty anyway'. He had finally brought her to the edge of patience. If he said she had nothing to show, she would offer him something he would never get.  
Provocatively, she reared up, slammed the door behind her, and headed for the bathroom. Diagonally opposite, however, she stopped and slipped out of her shoes, casually removing her weapons and dropping them.  
"You know, your life must be really boring. No women, only cards. And they aren't exactly good in bed, as I suppose, as often as you get a boner. "  
She pulled off the top and dropped it carelessly on the floor. She grabbed her breasts, covered by a black brassiere, with both hands and pressed them together a little. Only to demonstrate to him that there was something he couldn't get his hands on and that it felt really good how they swayed a little when she took her hands away.  
"Sorry, nothing to touch for you."  
Turning around, she opened her pants so she could slide her shorts down with a simple movement as well. Climbing out of it, she stalked closer to the bathroom before she turned back to him.  
"People like you know nothing about the female gender anyway. Therefore, see and marvel."  
Pulling her tongue over her lips, she pulled off her knee socks. Swinging her hips, she opened the door in front of her nose, and shortly afterward she saw him looking over at her with a provocative smile.  
"You won't believe it, but true men would melt now. But I guess, with little boys like you, that doesn't work that way. No wonder you don't want to see what I hide under my fabric. And now excuse me, you disgusting little fool. I'm taking a shower!” She disappeared into the bathroom and slammed the door loudly behind her.  
"Achoo!"

Behind the door, she could hear it laughing shortly after she sneezed. Embarrassed she blushed. What had she thought?  
She had given the Trickster a show that was likely to entertain and not to shock. But she had been so mad at him that she couldn't think of anything more provocative. Clearly a mistake.

♦ ♣ ♦

The clothes Hisoka had bought differed only in small details from the things she usually wore. In addition to a top, which also covered the neck, in a pleasant blue color, were found long pants and, to her astonishment, even underwear in size. Actually, she didn't want to know why this man knew all her measurements. But it wasn't bad when it was said that from now on he would go shopping for her.  
Gradually, she slipped into the things. The pants were quite tight and as it felt, it was stretchable thanks to the fabric, but not very comfortable for athletic maneuvers. The top, however, was almost a tick worse. Hisoka had literally stamped her.  
On her chest was now a diamond, as well as a heart, as found on playing cards, in deep red. Surely he has had his fun in picking out these things. But more than eyes twisting wasn't left for her. After all, he had meant it well at the same time and if she already lived at his expense, then he was certainly allowed to joke. Besides, it was actually pretty cute too. He merely underlined that they were now partners. Who knew the Hunter, would recognize in this way the Support.

In a much better mood, she tore open the door of the bathroom. Just as she was about to come out, she saw Kurapika staring slightly confused at her top on the ground. The Trickster had left everything exactly as she had distributed it.  
Still sitting comfortably on the sofa, he looked at his opponent playfully.  
"So ... what do you want?" The blonde didn't seem enthusiastic that Hisoka had ordered him more than obviously into the room. Dressed in a black suit, he looked just as serious as he had done at the fair in Yorknew. He looked better in a suit than the outfit he'd worn to fight Omokage.  
"This year's participants have such poor quality, it is truly a disappointment. I'm bored."  
"I'm not here to eliminate your boredom."  
"How cold. What do you think? We could build a house of cards together ..."  
"If that's all, I'll go now." Kurapika's cold shoulder to the Trickster was enviable. She would have liked to show such a side to the clown herself. However, she had no shoulder of ice.  
The blonde was just starting to go when Hisoka just kept talking.  
"Does your presence mean that Gon and Killua are also here?"  
"I don't know. I wasn't contacted. Anyway, I work alone."  
He left, the redhead no longer trying to hold him. He probably just wanted to know if the two guys were in this place. Even she didn't object to seeing Killua again. She liked him, and above all ...  
Her thoughts drew a straight line as she thought more closely about him. Killua wouldn't be thrilled that she was still on Hisoka's side. After all, she had said that their ways would part.  
"Shiba, are you building a house of cards with me?"  
As always, he donated one of his disgusting smiles. But she no longer wanted to get involved in his provocation. Kurapika had set a good example for her, so she simply picked up her old clothes and answered calmly: "Unfortunately, I can't."  
"Ah? It's very simple."  
"They always fall together. I can't do that."  
"What a pity …" Again he put a few cards on his artwork, watching the little house as if he expected something special.  
"If you're bored, why don't you take part in this fight here?"  
"I said the fighters this year are of poor quality. A fight against them would be a waste of time."  
She threw her things on a pile, still on the floor and slipped into her shoes. Shortly thereafter, she approached him and sat down on the sofa, intent on not overturning his cards.  
"Hisoka, why are we here? I doubt you didn't know before that the participants didn't agree with your standards."  
A quick glance at her before leaning back and staring at the ceiling.  
"The participants are floor masters. I was invited with the information that someone special was going to be here too."  
"Please don't tell me, Chrollo."  
He said nothing, which meant that it had to be Chrollo. The Trickster was already obsessed with this man. Did he want to run after him until he had him?  
Actually, she wanted to say something to his pathological addiction, but the mere fact that the ground shook and an explosion could be heard somewhere inside, let her stop. An iron seal immediately locked the exit of the room. Never would she have thought that such things would be in the upper niches of the doors.  
"What was that?"  
Her eyes fell to the screen, which flickered only black and white. Another shock made her look forward again. Hisoka's house of cards fell apart, which he only accepted with a sigh of excitement.  
"How loud it is. We should look for a quieter place."  
"Shouldn't we see what happens here?"  
"Why? The others will get it all done wonderfully."  
"I thought you were bored? How can you be so picky?"  
"Weak opponents aren't entertaining, so I'm bored anyway. We can also enjoy the view for a while."


	51. The Show - Stage 1

Getting her weapons up from the ground, back in the place where they belonged on her body, she turned to the Trickster, who looked interested in the TV. He seemed as if he was waiting for something so that she just swallowed her bitter commend and waited.  
In fact, the device turned on again after getting out for a while, which she hadn't expected. The purr Hisoka made told her, that they probably missed something good.  
Netero was hanging on a wall, fixed up there by someone. Still alive, but unable to move. She herself waited, knowing how strong the old man was. It made no sense, that he just hung around. Did he try to save strength for something? A harder fight, that made him wait?  
"Can you see it, my dear hunters? No one should move, the lives of the hostages in the assembly hall are in your hands. Each one. Mostly the one of Netero!"  
A voice transmitted to the pictures echoed in the room. Haughty and confident of victory. Everything she hated the most.  
Another quake got her attention.  
"Hisoka, let's go."  
"Sure."  
While turning, she could see how Hisoka got into the same direction as her. Standing a good distance ahead of him, she got to the door. Legs apart, she got into position and put a hand on the sword. Focusing on the blade, she was waiting for the right moment. There was no need to wait long. A sense of security came over her as she pulled the metal out of the shell and cut the iron wall in front of the wooden door with some easy swings. The door behind it, completely undamaged, was everything that still separated them both from the outside.  
Carefully peering through a crack, she checked if the hallway was inhabited by any enemies. Luckily the track was empty, so she stepped on the red carpet of the floor and turned to her hunter.  
"Where to go?"  
His index finger showed to the right. If she remembered the way, then he wanted to get to the end of the floor, to the one stage, where one could go up and down as he liked. With two elevators and a huge staircase, from which she was luckily spared. Her stamina was a limited key. Her legs were heavy as iron and all the chaos was just inconvenient. She didn't even understand what had happened. Netero was hanging on a wall, the safety system was going up, and some explosions had shaken the building down to the ground.  
"What do you think? Who is behind all this mess?"  
"Who knows, but in any case, they have bad taste."  
"Because?"  
"They need hostages, a sign that they can not protect themselves without help, they are probably a lot weaker than Netero."  
"But he's hanging on the wall ..."  
"Without a scratch."  
Thinking about it, she put the head in the neck. He's right. It didn't look like the old man was fighting. Presumably, they also had something against him in hand, or something else, that forced him to move in this way.

"Stop!"  
Looking straight ahead, she quickly noticed the group of men who had entered the corridor, armed. Judging by her feelings, no one seemed particularly threatening. But the crowd made her think. Twenty in number.  
With the excuse to keep the movement down, she put back her sword, which she still held in her hand, and reached for her pistols at the same time.  
Pointing these at her opponents, she could still see the Trickster slipping past her and taking on some of the small fish. He cut their throats with his cards, in very delicate movements.  
Shiba, on the other hand, gave everyone a head shot, who was trying to attack her partner from behind. A strange situation, since he really seemed to rely on her. He didn't flinch when someone came too close, nor did he try to fend him off. His back remained completely unprotected on his part and thus was all the more protected by her.  
A small sense of achievement in her eyes.  
It was exactly the relationship between Support and Hunter she had always wanted.

No ten minutes elapsed before no one was standing in the corridor anymore. Their enemies were lying dead on the ground and both hunters had already found themselves in the story area long ago. To her astonishment, there was also a door on the wall, which actually had to lead outside and at the same time into the depths. So why was it there anyway?  
"How depressing."  
Glancing briefly at the Trickster, she immediately noticed what he meant by his statement. At the other end of the field, more fighters had gathered. They wouldn't find peace so fast.  
At least not Shiba.  
Hisoka turned on his heel and walked quickly past her, not forgetting to grab her wrist.  
Formally being dragged behind him, she watched as he headed for the doorway in the middle of nowhere. Although she wanted to hope that he had some plan for turning, he destroyed it at the latest when he stopped in front of the metal and pressed the latch down, letting she swallow audibly.  
The door opened itself to the inside, had really no way beyond. The cold evening air struck Shiba, along with a glimpse of the lights of the city in the dark. But it wasn't enough to distract her.  
"Hisoka, if you intend to go out there, you go alone!"  
"We can't jump together anyway. See you at the bottom!" He pushed her shoulders to the edge, which gave her a ghastly look down.  
"Hisoka!"  
"Give it your all!" Smiling, he slapped her on the shoulder almost fraternally, so she lost her balance. It felt like a fall in slow motion while her heart stopped beating. Her feet lost the ground and the next moment she was in a free fall.  
Tears welled up in her eyes. She had no idea how she would survive such a fall. She wasn't a cat and she hated the height anyway. Hadn't Hisoka noticed that she was suffering from absolute acrophobia?  
The outer wall rushed faster and faster. Occasionally a window. Once before, she had had such an experience, with only the difference that she wasn't deliberately pushed into it.  
Tightening her legs and reaching for her sword with her hands, she searched for a rescue. The last time it was knocked out of her hands during this maneuver and she nearly had lost her life.  
Surely it wouldn't change this time, but how else could she fight for her life?  
With great effort, she focused her Shu on the blade, only to pull it the next moment and ram it into the wall. As it did back then, it easily cut through the iron. If she abruptly took away the concentrated Nen, there was a danger that the same things would happen as last time. That's why she tried to take it away slowly. Thus reducing the speed of the fall and possibly getting down alive from the situation.  
However, the panic drove her almost mad, so she unintentionally took away too much Shu at once. The sword couldn't carry this burden and of all the things she didn't want to suffer at that moment, she encountered one of the worst.  
The metallic break as the blade shattered in one place made her scream. A loud 'No', which broke out of her throat, shaking in total fear. There was nothing she could do, so she looked down sobbing. Hardly could she suppress the tears.  
Passing through a very large hole, she became aware of what had previously caused the complex to quake. Someone had either hit the wall to get in or punched his opponent out. Not as if it still mattered.  
Once again she looked down. Her heart beating in the throat, hoping to find a way out. She saw something familiar. It protruded out of the wall, sturdy enough to hold on. All of her concentrating the Nen to her hands and thus protecting her in the status Ko, she got ready to reach for the thing.

At a rapid pace, she flew toward the object, only to cling to it at the last second, like a small child. The pole bent down threateningly down, but jumped up with Shiba again and didn't even make a cracking noise. As soon as she was sure that she had been completely intercepted, she released her Nen and took a deep breath. Her heart pounded so fast that dizziness came over her and she found her breathing only lazily through the luge. Her life was saved for now, but she couldn't see any way up. The only thing she could barely see a few yards above her were two more bars. Anyway, they were too far away for her to reach. They were two, maybe three, meters above the hole.  
She couldn't see much, though the light in the interior was a little brighter than the windows in a few places.  
Her last strength was to push her upper body over the bar, at least to relieve her arms a little. She was tired, her body at the end. The flu hadn't left much strength for her.  
Just as she wanted to sigh beaten, she felt how she was gently pulled upwards for insensitive reasons. Slowly, not thinking to let go the bar in her hands. Instead, she shook it a little while someone was pulling on her. Somehow the feeling was only too familiar.  
Without really thinking about it, she once again mustered enough strength to rip the object out of the wall. As soon as she had it completely in her hand, she realized what had saved her life.  
Lucky for the find, she was pushed past the wall opening, pulled up until she felt some pressure on her hips. Hisoka had her under his arm, with a smile on his face that she wanted to beat out of him.  
"Are you totally crazy to push me down the freaking way? I almost died! Unlike you, I don't have sticky chewing gum with me, that sticks everywhere!"  
"Hm? I had it attached to you the whole time. You would have been sprung back to me ten meters from here anyway."  
Her thoughts fizzled in a small cloud of itself.  
"You attached it to me without saying anything? Did you hit your head or what?! Can you imagine how much fear I had? My sword is broken thanks to you and I almost had a heart attack!"  
"Don't scream like that right now. Nothing happened."  
She stared at him, stunned, before shaking her head and turning to the sword in her hand.  
The Katana, which she had to leave behind at the first escape attempt from the Heavens Arena. Only dirt covered it in some places. Rust hadn't formed thanks to the material. Nevertheless, she would take it to a blacksmith to have it properly cleaned and checked. The cost would go onto Hisoka's account.


	52. The Show - Stage 2

Hanging under his arm like a wet sack, she clung to one of his legs. He was squatting on one of the bars she had discovered earlier. The whole situation didn't seem to disturb him, so she put her head on his leg and buried her face in the fabric. It was better if she didn't have to look down, otherwise, she was in danger of vomiting again. It had been enough once on this day.  
"Oh?" Not even his voice made her look up, but thanks to his tone, she was pretty sure he had seen something.  
The next moment, when she heard a small exclamation of horror, she turned her head so she could look straight ahead and discover Leorio. He just stared direst in her direction while hearing a quiet 'Hi' from Hisoka.  
"Hisoka!" Raising his hands defensively, he tried to back down, which didn't work very well. Noticing this, he struggled wildly the next second.  
"Let me go!"  
"Are you sure?"  
The suit-wearer froze, then glanced down and, waving his hands together, turned back to Hisoka. "No, stop! Do not let go!"  
"It was so loud inside, which is why I came out, but …" To his delight, the Trickster pulled on his Bungee Gum string. He had placed it on another pole higher up, so that he could let Leorio hop on his thread up and down without many efforts, like a rubber ball. "... you are a lot louder."  
"What the hell! What do you want from me?"  
Since Shiba was sitting now more on his legs than in the air, Hisoka let go of her to draw two cards out of nowhere.  
"Three cards are stronger than two."  
Both aces, where he made a third appear in his explanation.  
"But four cards are stronger than three."  
Another ace, which found its way to the already existing three.  
"And, what are you talking about?" Leorio was as smart about the Trickster's statement as Shiba herself.  
"If you have all the cards, the game will be even ten times more entertaining." Hisoka wiped the four cards together, just to hold a Joker in the hand. As soon as the suit-wearer had taken note of this, Hisoka had it disappear as well to clamp Shiba under his arm again and get up. She made only a whimpering sound before she clung to his waist completely helpless so that he could safely let go.  
"Shiba ... what is he up to?"  
"Shall we go?" Smiling, her partner raised his now free arm and shot another string of Bungee Gum up, where it stuck somewhere.  
"What? Shiba? Say something!"  
She didn't bother to explain, only because she knew what would follow. The next moment Hisoka bounced them all up, back to the upper floors.

♦ ♣ ♦

"At some point, this will kill me …" Staring at the ceiling, sitting on his knees, Leorio talked to himself while Shiba sat on all fours and just trembled. "Believe me, as soon as it kills you, it will revive you again."  
"It was the fastest and easiest solution."  
"Shut up!" At the same time, it came from Hisoka's victims, who almost couldn't bear the flight upwards.  
"Oh? But the control room isn't far off and I'm pretty sure someone is there. After all, someone has to control the transfers."  
It was enough to make Leorio sit up and take notice. Like a lightning, he stood on both legs again and trudged past her Hunter, who was still waiting for her to find her way back on her feet. Since she didn't want to keep him waiting forever, she took a deep breath, only to tremble while getting up.  
"Never do that again," she muttered to him, while he was shrugging his shoulders. Presumably, she looked like she had risen from the dead.  
Following the young man who had stormed so wisely ahead, they both paid attention to avoid anyone. Hisoka probably a bit more than her.  
Her senses were so overwhelmed with all the back and forth that he had to grab her by the collar so she wouldn't go past the intended entrance.  
With that, he dragged her behind again, into a dimly lit corridor. There were two doors on it, but behind only one a sound was heard. Up to this, the Trickster dragged her to the door before he let her go, leaning against the wall beside the soundscape and drawing his cards. Shiba, on the other hand, slid down the opposite wall and closed her eyes for a moment.  
However, she wasn't allowed to rest, since Leorio's loud organ made sure that one probably heard him on the whole floor.

"Kurapika! Hey! Pull yourself together! What the hell is that?"  
Short silence returned. Either one ignored him on the inside, or someone else spoke in a reasonably calm tone. Her partner used it to check his cards and straighten a slightly dented diamond ace again. To her surprise, he put it the wrong way around, with the number out, back into the fanned out deck. As soon as it found its seat, he pushed them all back together to a pile he held in his hand.  
"What the hell are you doing?" One of her eyes open, she watched him.  
"I mix."  
"Stop that crap! You are not the same!"  
Again, it echoed from within. Someone seemed intent on upsetting Leorio.  
"Look, if it looks like you're going to fall victim to your hatred yourself, then you have me! And Gon! And Killua! To hit you in the face and get you out of it! Can you hear me? Pull yourself together! If you lose yourself, I'll do it now!"  
Silence returned before she heard the soft, tired voice of the blonde.  
"I will not fall low enough to be beaten by you. I found new comrades."  
Shock opened her eyes a little further. Hisoka had casually opened the door as Leorio shouted. A clever move, as the suit-wearers organ was far louder than the click mechanism of the door handle and grid.  
He fanned his cards again, but this time every single one was turned into her direction, except for four that pointed to him.  
"You have to be really bored. Let's see what they do," she mumbled, getting up and squeezing through the crack in the door, followed closely by her hunter. They stopped at a corner without being seen, so they heard the last of the inner action. The Trickster leaned against the wall, bored, while she looked interested around the corner.  
A guy with long, black hair was just using a syringe against Kurapika, which just squeezed the blondes veins visibly out. As soon as he threw the small vessel on the ground, Hisoka grabbed it with his Elastic Love and examined it briefly.  
"What's this? Looks bad for the body."  
The black-haired man staggered back against one of the control cabinets and slumped to the ground.  
"You can't use your Nen anymore."  
"What are you saying?" Leorio still seemed fit, unlike Kurapika.  
"Be honored. It's the blood of Master Jed. You're able to bring your On out with it."  
Immediately, the Trickster dropped the small syringe in disgust. His enthusiasm was limited. Shiba, on the other hand, understood him but would have liked to try some of the stuff. Sure, one had to give up all Nen skills, but the On had to be all the stronger. Stronger and more painful when she took a closer look at Kurapika. He grimaced his face according to all the rules of art.  
"Are you all right?" By far the stupidest question that came from Leorio, which only made Shiba put her hand to her forehead.  
"With the power of On, you can only fight for revenge and live."  
"I refuse!" Releasing himself from his friend's grasp, the blonde turned back to his opponent, but almost collapsed on the spot.  
"Kurapika!"  
"I only fight for ..."  
"Do whatever you want." The black-haired took over the word again. "But if you don't sign a contract with On, only death is waiting for you. Master Jed, I have fulfilled my loyalty to you."

The room, once filled with red light, changed color as the screens all switched back to a bright blue. The control over the devices seemed to be solved, in the last moves of the unknown.  
"My only wish is complete revenge by your hands." He died with the same breath.  
A part that seemed to annoy Hisoka a little bit. Annoyed looking to the side and pushing the corners of his mouth a little down, he folded his arms across his chest. He had put away his cards.  
"What an unsatisfactory climax ... I guess you get about sixty-five points."  
She raised an eyebrow in surprise.  
"Points for what?"  
"Strength. I was expecting more if this On really is that great ..."  
"Really? Do you rate all hunter according to this scheme?"  
A quick nod of his side before he turned away and strode to the exit.  
"How many points would you give me?"  
"I'll tell you another time."


	53. The Show - Stage 3

It was Leorio who put Kurapika on a sofa, which was found in the corridor. Normal for guests who were forced to wait a moment.  
The blonde was already no longer able to move, let alone really say anything. Hisoka seemed on his hand bored about the current event. He didn't really care. As always, he was leaning against the wall, absorbed in his playing cards.  
Just as Leorio had placed his friend in an acceptable position, a rather young and well-known voice sounded.  
"Kurapika!"  
Quickly Shiba turned her head in the direction of the call and saw Gon with Killua. As soon as she registered the latter, she backed away a few steps and pressed herself against the side of her partner, hoping that she wouldn't be seen.  
Gon's first attention was, of course, the blond, which is why the Trickster immediately showed interest himself. First, letting the cards disappear, he folded his arms serenely over his chest. In that pose, he raised a hand in greeting before giving Gon a “Hi”.  
"Hisoka?" Killua was the one who gave an answer without really following his friend at this moment.  
"Hey, what about me?" Even the suit carrier seemed less enthusiastic about this kind of ignorance and turned immediately indignant to Gon. She, on the other hand, pressed herself a little closer to the wall.  
"What happened to Kurapika?"  
"Looks like he got infected with this Jed person's blood."  
Mumbling, Shiba pushed her partner into the side.  
"That sounds wrong …," she mumbled softly, hoping Killua wouldn't notice her.  
Hisoka, hand-mixing the cards again, ignored her skillfully and continued his brief summary. "It's not very clear, but it looks like he can't use Nen anymore. If he doesn't contract with this force called 'On', he will die."  
"No way!"  
"Don't worry." Kurapika gathered the necessary strength to at least reassuring his friends. "I'd rather die than make a contract with On."  
"You can't die, Kurapika!" Furiously clenching his fists, the rather small grasshopper built himself up in front of the blonde. A cute sight, if she had to judge. No one had ever shown that much care for her in this way. Friends had to be something special.  
For a moment she thought of Cheadle. She too was a lovely person if one didn't break her logic.  
  
"Then there's no way other than making a contract with On."  
"He can't do that either!"  
As the two boys puzzled over what Kurapika could do to escape death, he writhed on the sofa, panting.  
"Kurapika, hold on!" Gon literally stormed towards him.  
"Forget me, you have to help the others."  
"I will save the others and I won't let you down. Because you are my friend!"  
"It is worse than in the soap opera here ..." Too loud Shiba made her opinion clear in face of the moment. Although she was a fan of sincere friendship, some people had the talent to exaggerate it.  
Nevertheless, she hadn't thought along. Only because Killua noticed her.  
"Shiba?"  
"K-Killua ... what a surprise ..."  
"What are you doing here and …" He came a little closer, to examine her top more closely. His eyes widened in horror, which is why she was preparing for a tremendous sermon.  
"You said, you and Hisoka, you go separate ways after Greed Island! What are you still doing alongside this crazy guy?"  
"How mean …" A brief pout of the accused.  
"Well, there were a few things that happened and Hisoka and I decided to stay Support and Hunter …" She hypocritically turned her head to her partner, hoping he would find something useful say.  
While Killua derailed the facial features, the redhead seemed to understand her and also added a small comment.  
"If I hadn't done anything, she would have chased after Illumi, panting."  
Her thoughts immediately went to the man whose doll she had seen in the church. The black hair, his character. Clearly, a Hunter who was worthy of Support.  
She could feel her gaze wandering sideways and she willingly bit her lower lip.  
"Illumi?!"  
Killua's roar tore her from the lovely memory and brought her back into the conversation.  
"Yes, an incredible fighter!"  
"Shiba ... your taste is clearly the worst I've ever seen. William, more or less Chrollo to come to Hisoka, Hisoka of course, and then you gawk after my brother?!"  
"Your ... brother?" The uncontrolled twitching in her right eyelid expressed absolute desperation mixed with nerves of silk.  
"Yes, Illumi is my brother. Shiba, finally find a decent Hunter."  
"Hunter are not decent."  
"You are not decent. Hisoka is not one you should ever really work with!"  
Just then, the Trickster put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her a little. With a smile of absolute dominance, he met Killua's annoyed look.  
"Shiba and I get along wonderfully. Besides, shouldn't you care more about Kurapika? I'm not sure, but I think he's just dying over there..."  
Snorting, the white-haired turned away.  
"What now?"  
"Looks like there's no other way but to defeat this Jed person." Letting Shiba go, Hisoka got back to his cards, mixing them again. "You have all the right cards."  
Fanning five cards on each hand, he turned them over. If she went by the rules of Poker, there was a royal flush on the right, the highest hand in the game.  
"But you don't have enough will to beat the last enemy."  
He held only four eights in his left hand. A hand that could easily be trumped if you put the cards together in the game.  
"Keep in mind that you need a trump to win the game."  
Fanning the hand of the eighth and then pushing it apart, a joker appeared. His favorite card, she supposed.  
This card replaced an eight.  
"What do you mean?" Gon asked exactly the question that plagued Shiba inside. This crazy man and his phrases. She hated it. Once she had fallen victim to this kind of game, ending with a glass of orange juice and a dead man.  
Not a real success, if one looks at it from another point of view.

Hisoka didn't answer, instead smiled playfully and pushed himself away from the wall. He just walked down the hall, leaving the rest of the group standing there. Shiba followed him perplexed, feeling the killing eyes of Killua on her skin.  
"Hisoka, what are you doing?"  
"I don't want to miss the show. We have to secure a good place."  
"You don't intend to help?"  
"I already have!" Proudly sticking out his chest, he glanced at her.  
"Really. If you mean bringing Leorio to them, it was a really sloppy help."  
"I also gave them a lot of tips."  
"Nobody understands your way of talking!"  
"Oh Shiba, don't underestimate them, I've told you that before."  
She could only roll her eyes. He said she shouldn't underestimate Leorio. But just because he narrowly won against Illumi didn't mean it made him stronger. What had this squad, what fascinated him so much?  
The suit carrier was weak and only helped to make big speeches. Loud and haphazard, he staggered after the others. Kurapika had his sore points that could be used against him. Gon and Killua might have been different, but she had no idea how two kids should do something about this Jed.  
What did they do in the meantime, unless they just ran into her and the Trickster?  
Following her Hunter, they meandered through several corridors before arriving at a spot where a well-known door was found. It had been one of those again, behind which she expected nothing but depth.  
"Just over my dead body!" This time she stayed several meters away from the door.  
"Oh? We won't jump down."  
"Funny one. Then tell me how the hell will we get up the- ... no ... just ... never!"  
Of course, there was a way up. Hisoka and his Bungee Gum were a good alternative. However, she would rather get killed by dogs than to expose herself to this heart attack again.  
Threateningly, she raised an index finger. If the Trickster came too close to her, he clearly lost everything that was dear and holy to him.  
"Shiba ..."  
"No way! I am sick, tired and, thanks to you, soon a mad woman!"  
"I'm going to hold you tight!" Whining, he opened his arms a little, so it looked like he was waiting for a heartfelt hug. Not that she didn't trust him, but he wasn't really sure either.  
She stayed with her opinion and only shook her head.  
"I could tie you to me with Bungee Gum if you feel safer."  
"We go separately! I'm looking for another place to look!" With these words she turned her back on him, intent on climbing the stairs, which were at the other end of their whereabouts. Unfortunately for her, Hisoka didn't agree with her idea and caught her by the wrist in the next second.  
Bickering she turned her head to him. "Stop being so attached!"  
"I can't help it, that's my Elastic Love for you."  
"Let me go, or I'll scratch your eyes out!" She pinched his cheek to prove to him that she was faster than he could react.  
"Okay..." To her astonishment, he actually did what she told him.  
Triumphantly she watched as he turned and walked towards the door again. Her luck was short. As soon as he was barely ten feet away, she felt something rough on her wrist. Concentrating on the eyes, she realized how the Trickster had actually stuck his gum on her.  
"Hisoka! You'll regret it if you don't let go of me right now!"  
"How exactly? Will you take off your clothes again?"  
Redness shot into her face, causing her to look in another direction. Meanwhile, thanks to the power of the chewing gum, she slid over the smooth floor toward him. There was nothing she could do. The Katana, which was in the somewhat too large shell of her old sword and rattled there for a little while, seemed to be no option.  
"I will torture you and ask you many unfair questions that you would never answer otherwise," she whimpered.  
"For example?"  
"Your damn surname!"  
"Morow."


	54. The Show - Stage 4

Reluctantly resisting, Shiba clung to the door frame with all her strength. Hisoka had pulled her to his side with the help of his Bungee Gum and had already put an arm around her waist to carry her out of the door. However, she was still not excited about the fact that she was giving up on the ground.  
"Let me go!"  
"Shiba, we will miss the show."  
"Why don't you just go without me and come back later?"  
"What if I get attacked? You have seen how clumsy I fight. My back is completely defenseless without you!" While he playfully struck a tone that small children used when they wanted to persuade someone, she heard it crack from the frame of the door. An ugly sound, even though it was made of iron.  
"The door will break if you don't let go!"  
"I don't have the frame in my hands if that's what you mean."  
"Damn, Hisoka! I will not let go of this damned frame!"  
"It's okay if you really want to take it with you ..."  
Her eyes widened to his words. She would have liked to be interrogated, but before she could even deny any content of his statement, he pulled with much more force and momentum on her. The iron didn't hold it and bent to her, which she watched only shocked. Nevertheless, she did not want to let go.  
One last, powerful jolt made sure she held a complete side of the door frame in her hands. Incidentally, she casually lost the floor under the soles of her shoes.  
"You broke the door!" She shouted in anger as she turned her head to face him.  
"Why me? You have the frame in your hands, not me."  
"You're so dead... I swear I-" She paused to put her hands over her mouth, losing the frame. Again it came up in a high arc. Solely because her partner had fastened his Nen somewhere and now gracefully swung her under her arm through the air. It was hard to put into words how bad she felt.  
Closing her eyes, she simply waited for him to stop moving. Although he came to a halt for a moment, then let himself be feathered up again.  
For a few moments, she was exposed to his arts before her surroundings stopped dancing pirouettes.  
"Ah, we're just right in time. You see, two minutes and you're still alive."  
Carefully, she opened an eye. In fact, he had put her on an iron plate, which at first didn't look so bad. But as soon as she looked straight ahead, she was overcome by a single shiver. The plate was big enough for her and her partner to fit snugly against each other. A wrong move and the threatening abyss would gladly embrace her.  
"We are not really sitting on a small transmission tower?"  
"Tightly cuddled together while watching a really nice fight. Isn't that exciting?"  
"Are you stupid?" Stunned she looked over her shoulder, into his beautiful eyes, which sparkled happily.  
"I revise my statement. Rhetorical questions are unfriendly. You are stupid!"  
He just smiled purring at her before he turned his attention to the fight. Since she couldn't come down from this tower without him anyway, without having to endure screaming struggles, she did the same.  
  
Killua stood ready to fight a few meters from Gon, who was just getting up again. Netero was held in the air by something dark.  
Last but not least, there was a man on the roof who Shiba knew only as Jed. After all, he was the target the guys had been aiming for.  
In her opinion, he still seemed very young, which excited her a little. His hair in a pure white stripped back from his sides and sticking out from behind, he stood there dressed in a red, short cloak and a black coat.  
Concentrating her Nen on the ears, she went to great lengths to follow the language course of the group.  
"I can not even touch him. There is no way to attack him with such an Emitter attack!" Gon first looked puzzled to his feet, then his enemy in the eyes.  
"But if you touch his blood, it's over!" Killua also gave his conclusion to good, but Shiba hardly understood.  
Kurapika had the blood injected into the body, so why should a simple touch hurt?  
"First comes Rock!"  
She had seen this attack before, at the game in Greed Island. He focused his Nen on a fist, which allowed him an incredible increase in power for this.  
"I told you to stop!"  
"Stone, paper, scissors!" Ignoring Killua, he made two of his fingers leap forward, like a pair of scissors. However, he was not fast enough to catch Jed. He sidestepped and rammed his knee into the boy the next moment. He put so much power on it that Gon flew across the air.  
Killua took this chance to attack the On-user as well but missed just like Gon did before. She had to admit that this man was on a good pace.  
Killua saw the counter-attack come just in time to dodge his opponent's leg. This occurred so hard that the ground under his foot completely shattered.  
Gon landed, with his back first to the hard stone floor, as Killua slid backward. Jed kept a dominant smile on his lips, which pissed Shiba far more off than any of her partner's offensive comments.  
"Gon!"  
"If I don't beat you, Kurapika will die!"  
"Not necessarily. All he has to do is sign a contract with On." A firm voice pounded the man's lips.  
"I will not allow that! Then ... I'll make a contract with On and defeat you!"  
"Can it be that Gon has very few brain cells?" She asked, addressing Hisoka, who was already waving his Joker card in one hand.  
"He surely finds a way."

"You are crazy! Jed, I will be your opponent. I'll fight you to the death!" Killua seemed to find his friend's idea as stupid as Shiba did, so he interfered. In a flash, he ran to his destination, preparing both of his hands to take it apart. More precisely, his nails sharpen so that his hand, held in shape, reminded of the tip of a spear.  
Although Jed evaded, but caught him tight, which led to a cut on the cheek. Immediately the drops made of blood flew in Killua's direction, fast enough to freeze him. If Gon hadn't come at that moment and thrown himself together with Killua from the place, who knows how big the consequences would have been.  
So both just rolled over the floor.  
"Oh?" Hisoka made himself attentively behind her again, which is why she just tilted her head. Glancing at Netero's horrified face, she pointed out that she had missed something.  
"What happened?"  
"Look at Gon."  
Following the instructions of the Trickster, she turned her eyes to the two guys lying on the floor. Gon hung over Killua, who panicked a little in the position.  
"Is everything okay?"  
"Gon!"  
She followed Killua's eyes and clung to his friend's hand. Some drops of blood had touched him and now steamed dangerously on the back of his hand.  
"That wasn't a bad attack," praised Jed, wiping his cheek in the meantime. The wound had already stopped bleeding.  
"Idiot, why?" Angry, Killua shook Gon, pushing him away.  
"I'm really glad you're alright."  
The next words were literally stuck in Killua's throat. He collected this frustration, which he visibly suffered just to attack the enemy again. He jumped up, ran towards his opponent. He struck aimlessly at Jed, never hit once. This technique was also very familiar to her.  
Illumi had used it against Leorio, which made a really strong impression. But Killua went to uncoordinated to the matter. It made sure that Jed's side blow was enough to get him out of the way. He remained motionless.  
"Killua!" Again the grasshopper got in position to collect his Nen. To his astonishment, however, he noticed quite quickly that something was wrong. He could no longer use Nen. A situation that the On-user emphasized with a big grin.  
He let his On a little more emit, so that a very dark aura wavered to his knees. Rushing, he first made sure that Killua disappeared from the picture. He kicked him away like a football, so that he flew a few meters high, into one of the lighting systems, on an upper canopy. Shortly after, he stopped abruptly and seemed to be waiting for something.  
Gon's gaze had changed a little bit. It seemed he had only one way out.  
"I'll be sure to destroy you myself! If necessary, I'll make an agreement. A contract and a condition with On!"  
Veins formed on his hands, reaching to his neck and also reaching part of his face. As soon as he had spoken his plans, this heavy, dark aura surrounded him as well. It changed his eyes visibly.  
The once-good-natured, brown eyes swayed over into a ghastly yellow. The white surface of the eyeball turned dark red and the friendliness became pure hate.  
A sad sight from Netero, which said "Stop it!" was accompanied with this view.  
"I will protect my friends!"

Immediately, the two rushed towards each other, regardless of losses. Shiba could hardly follow them. Keeping track of one opponent in combat at speed was far easier than watching from the outside.  
"How does it feel? On is your hatred, transformed into strength!" Jed's arrogant tone made her moan in exasperation. Why were most of the bad guys so talkative? Why couldn't they just fight and then say everything they had to say?  
Here and there some sparks were noticeable when Gon hit his opponent. His power had increased immeasurably, which he used to rely on the same ability as ever.  
Without a word he formed his Nen on the fist and rushed towards his enemy. For a brief moment, they disappeared into a very dark sphere before it dissolved and a clearly visible image emerged.  
Jed had grabbed the boy by the neck so that he could no longer attack.  
"Gon is far too inflexible," she murmured softly to herself.  
"He's still learning, at some point, he will master even more of those delicious skills."  
"Spoke the man who is Bungee Gum only."  
A brief hum of his side before they both fell silent.  
"If you don't want to be one of my comrades, then I will consume you and bring my strength back to its source. It's your choice. Turn your hatred into contempt and put it into effect. Enter a deeper contract with On. Or should I try to kill your friends? Anyway, we're going to execute every Hunter who decides against On anyway."  
Although Jed kept talking, Shiba couldn't follow him to the end. A glaring light under Netero aroused her interest. Killua had found his way to the root of the trap and tried to reach it. A young woman, lifeless on her knees, staring into nothing, she realized.  
Her On didn't seem to want him to reach her, which the light explained.  
Electricity hit a force field without blemish.  
Jed didn't seem to believe that Killua would manage to cross the barrier, so he kept calmly talking to Gon.  
If there was one thing he should have done, then it wasn't exactly this move. Because Killua actually managed to grab the girl by the shoulders, with the aim of talking to her as well.  
"Listen. I fought against your friend and he was really strong, even without On. I don't want my friends to gain their strength through On. So, please ... please bring this mess to an end."  
Although Shiba assumed that she wouldn't hear him, the girl seemed to understand him very well. A single tear rolled down her cheek, down to her chin, onto the handle of the dagger stuck in her chest. Presumably, long before she had died, she had realized how irrational her actions were. She closed her eyes, collapsed. A starting signal for Netero, because his prison broke like glass and finally freed him.

"Let's see..." Loosening his shoulders and pushing the Geta, which he usually wore, sideways, the old man made himself ready to fight. Finally, she would get the chance to see someone really interesting in the fight. After all, she had never seen Netero in one of these.  
Jed seemed to have the same opinion and threw Gon aside to turn his attention to Netero.  
He sank in a bright light, pressing his palms together and yelling something very loud.  
"One hundred forms Guanyin Bodhisattva!"  
"Unbelievable," she exclaimed.  
"That's right!" Even Hisoka seemed to like the sight, which is why he leaned further forward, on her back.  
What both of them admired was a statue of pure gold. With the face and torso of a woman, surrounded by countless arms, she shone up as a kind of salvation behind the old man. It was just huge, almost like a divinity itself, an estimated twelve yards. She rose until her whole body had appeared.  
How much Nen did such a breathtaking ability cost?  
Standing on one of her hands, in a few seconds, a whole ball of Nen gathered around Netero, which he shot at Jed. Briefly, Shiba was blinded, as a bright, ascending column stole her view through the impact.  
As soon as her eyes had overcome this brightness, she saw Netero jump to the ground to face his opponent.  
"Well, should we finally settle the matter?"  
"It's been a while since I fought against you here."  
According to the conversation, the two seemed to know each other for some time. Unfortunately, she had no idea what it was all about, but only seeing Netero in action made up for any loss of understanding.  
To her delight, Jed did the same for the old man and seemed to summon something as well.  
"The Unrestrained Hate of One Hundred Demons - Rakshasa!"  
He didn't understate when he said that this monster resembled a demon. As big as the Bodhisattva, this thing put its two white claws, ready to kill, around Jed. The white face, with the narrow eyes and the smile full of satisfaction, frightened her off formally. The long, red hair, falling over the yellowish robe, covered the approach of two horns on the head of the beast.  
"Oh, what a captivating phrase."  
Hisoka was sitting pretty tight with her on this plate from the start, but only in this second, she did realize how close. She felt something hard hit her back. He would clearly come to a climax if the fight continued to be so incredible.  
She could hardly describe what was going on in the next few minutes. The hands of the golden beauty met the claws of the beast. In fact, the latter actually warded off every single hand that was smashed down on them. Butterflies, blacker than the night, found their way out of Rakshasa's sleeves. They attacked Netero's Bodhisattva, but all those hands were clearly not just for show. One after the other, the butterflies were shattered, while those countless hands turning to the monster at the same time. And though they were both huge, their movements seemed faster than any she had seen before.  
Incidentally, there was also a fight between Jed and Netero himself. It was the On-user who attacked first. The sequence of kicks and punches, in contrast to the attacks of the statues, seemed like made in slow motion. The old man had no problems repelling his opponent's desperate attempts to fend off.  
"We are both sides of a coin." They came to a halt for a moment, which Netero used for a little wisdom. "We were the same, just took a different path."  
"Even if, these ways will never intersect again!"  
Jed struck again at the old man, which only defended himself with his palms.  
"I won't let you go. That I couldn't save you then Jed, that's my sin. I will fight you until you can get rid of your hatred."  
"Bullshit!"

"Gon, come back ... we are friends!"  
Confused, Shiba turned her head to the two boys, who were still busy escaping the On. She had completely forgotten these two.  
After endlessly speaking, it seemed as if Gon had finally found the strength to find out of his predicament. Light sheathed him. Just for safety, she turning her head just at that moment. A good idea, as another pillar of light, went up to the sky and released him from the On. Nen returned, with which the hate disappeared.  
The boy doesn't even have the chance to recover. Rather, he jumped up immediately to face the two fighting men.  
"Jed, I am your opponent!"  
"I don't think so."  
"It will be me who forgives you."  
Few words Jed found anything but positive. Keeping his On going out, he started loudly cursing.  
"You little bastard, stop using your cheeky mouth!"  
A mixture of nice and rather annoyed, if Shiba had to interpret this sentence.  
"Rakshasa!"  
At the command of its master, a hand reached down to Gon. But it was too slow. Like a bolt of lightning, the young Hunter was already standing in front of Jed and rammed his favorite ability into his stomach. With a force that the On-user was only able to spit blood.  
"I understand your sadness now. We will make sure it doesn't repeat itself." Gon's words made no sense in her eyes, but it did seem to matter to the rest.  
Hisoka, behind her, had recovered from his agitation, even seemed to control himself so as not to come. Nevertheless, she quickly realized that he seemed extremely satisfied with the result. If she thought like him, then the grasshopper became a “very tasty fruit worth the wait” at that moment.  
Shaking her head, she looked at the image of the splintering Rakshasa. Although satisfying for the Trickster, she was disappointed. Ironically, Gon had received the last blow and made the whole thing as unspectacular as possible.  
A boring ending, a mixed struggle.  
What followed was nothing more than the scene of a dying man who barely understood his defeat. Slowly, ice covered his body, gradually pulverizing him.  
He came almost close to Netero, who watched the spectacle just compassionately.  
"I will not regret my actions. Our fight is not decided yet, Netero. Next time I will-"  
He didn't even come to the end before he completely crumbled to dust. If that's what it was.  
The boys and Netero stayed behind as the sun sets its first rays in the sky.  
Another sleepless night.


	55. Three questions

The day began when Kurapika and Leorio stormed onto the roof and celebrated a heartbreaking reunification.  
Nothing the Trickster showed much interest in.  
Without saying anything, but with a happy smile on his lips, he stood up. Shiba knew what it meant, but was too tired to protest. By now, she didn't even care if he threw her off the tower and just let her drop to the bottom.  
Generally, she wouldn't come along anymore. Her throat burned, she could hardly breathe through her nose and her limbs were numb through the pain. She closed her eyes, which immediately caused deep blackness to surround her. Sleep, which she had neglected for far too long, spoke up and dragged her into a long-forgotten world of boundlessness.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦

Pulling the blanket slightly higher, she rolled over to the other side of the bed. A low murmur filled the room before it turned into a comforting purr.  
There was a smile on his face. Even she could feel good for a change.  
Turning his head in her direction, he wished her a 'good morning'. In fact, she sat up slowly. With a bedroom view he wouldn't have expected, she met him with a short 'morning' and looked around.  
"Are we still in the Heavens Arena?"  
"We are."  
He looked at her up and down. Surely, he hadn't really made it easy for her the last few days, with all the thing that made her more and more tired. Despite everything, she had withstood his pace. Sick, drained and extremely irritated.  
She had even been through the nine-hundred-meter fall. With less cursing than he had expected.  
Despite her flu, she kept his back free. He had left it extra unprotected to give her at least a small sense of achievement. She could hardly breathe at his side.  
Maybe that was why he wanted to reward her.  
"How long did I sleep?"  
"About three days."  
"Three days?! Why didn't you wake me up?"  
"You needed to sleep." Observing, he put his head in his hand and rested his arm on the back of the sofa on which he sat.  
"At least my flu seems to be gone."  
"Progress."  
He couldn't help himself. Something in him sighed with relief that she was feeling better. It was the same feeling that had seized him in Greed Island and it hadn't let go since then. Also, a small reason why he had decided against letting her go. To agree to become her official Hunter, even though he didn't know what that meant. The bet between them still ran, and beside the ambiguous feeling in his chest, it reminded him of a long-forgotten story between life and death. Two sides that usually didn't talk to each other.  
"You said you would punish me with a lot of mean questions."  
"Right! Only because you damn idiot don't talk about you. The woman at the front desk asked me who I would like to go to. Of course, I said Hisoka. And then she asks me for your last name. Do I look like I know your goddamn surname?"  
"I told you," he replied, as she sat and squirmed to herself. A typical thing of the Emitter. Too much temper, which was bad for the nerves.  
"Yeah, you did. Just before you brutally dragged me onto a tower. Long after I had to tell the woman behind the counter what the name of the nice, understanding gentleman is, that I wanted to visit! You know pretty much any standard information about me!"  
"Oh, really?" Playfully, he made a card appear, with which he wagged a little air. Surely he knew a lot about her. Her full name, her age, her measurements, her weight, even some aversions and weaknesses.  
"Do not pretend to be stupider than you are!"  
"Okay. An offer from the heart, little Shiba. Three questions you can ask me, which I answer absolutely honest."  
"Seriously?" She looked sceptical.  
"Fully."

He wasn't a man who had anything to hide unless it was a plan. There was no problem answering all her questions.  
"Okay, then I want to make something sure with you first."  
"Hm?"  
"If I want an honest answer from you, I say that. My normal questions do not matter. If I want you to be honest, then I say that you should answer in the right way. Three questions that I can ask whenever I want!"  
Astonished, he raised an eyebrow before his lungs released a low hum. She was clever, had learned. She could easily turn his offer against him. But that made the situation a lot more interesting. When and how she would apply these questions was all that interested him.  
"As you wish. Three questions. I always answer honestly if you ask me to."  
He wouldn't lie, alone for his own pleasure. Anyway, it didn't contradict his way of breaking such a promise. So now she had a small advantage, which she was allowed to use in a game between death and fetters.  
"Do you want to ask me something now?"  
"Not at the moment, I'll pick up the questions at a later time."  
He closed his eyes for a moment before looking at her again and changing the subject. If she didn't want to ask, they could talk about something else.  
"While you were sleeping, I noticed a few little things."  
"If you now say something derogatory about me and my sleep, you fly upright out of this room."  
"I can calm you, a man doesn't say anything about a lady's sleep." He knew he was already teasing her, but her reactions were just too beautiful to watch. Also at this moment, when it shot the blush in her cheeks and she looked completely helpless for a counter. He just didn't get bored if he could annoy her.  
"Rather, it's about being watched. And not just from one person, as it seems to me."  
He paused for a moment, his expression unclothed as he watched her act afterwards. She looked out the window, restless, almost rushed. She seemed to know something and, as always, didn't really trust him.  
"You seem to have known that," sounding unpleasantly threatening, he kept his eyes on her.  
"Maybe. A tiny little bit."  
"Hm? And what is the reason?"  
"That has nothing to do with you."  
She withdrew. Something he couldn't allow.  
"Aren't we Support and Hunter? Shouldn't we clarify such things?"  
"Hisoka ... don't always come with this stupid Support and Hunter thin when it comes to that. I can do it alone and it would only bore you anyway."  
There was a soft chuckle in his throat. She did her best to judge him but still didn't know what interested him. If she asked for help, he would help. Only because he had a good time with her.  
Surely she had her blemishes, but she wasn't stupid at all. If she made even a little effort, it was clear that she was getting even tough tasks.  
"Tell me, maybe I'll love it for you."  
She looked at him for a moment, then out the window again. She became more and more restless every minute until she sat cross-legged on the bed and stared at him. Her eyes were far more aggressive when she did.  
"I'm pretty sure a man and a woman are following us."  
"In a team?"  
"No way. Her motives seem too different."  
"What do you know and, above all, how did this happen?"  
"The woman, she wants to pay me back something. Revenge to be exact. She wants to make me suffer, so I suppose she's following me."  
"And the man?"  
"Honestly, I have no idea. He came to my hotel room one night when we took a break from Greed Island. I couldn't move when he leaned over and told me to come home. At the same time, he seemed to regard you as a threat, since I belong to him. I have no idea what he wants from me."  
Thoughtfully tipping his index finger to his chin, Hisoka followed her explanation. The girl was anything but interesting, but the man interested him all the more. Shiba wasn't a woman to just put out of action, which meant he must be special in a way. Maybe a strong opponent.  
His eyes fell back to her. She looked a little paler than usual, probably threatened by both sides. A small aspect that didn't particularly please him. If the man hurt her, the bet between them would stop. Maybe it was just an incredibly annoyed family member. What did he know about her life before the Support Hunter thing?  
He couldn't do more than keep an eye on her. If the stranger attacked her, he was within reach to take care of him.

"Hisoka?"  
"Hm?" A little out of consideration, he looked at her with a friendly smile.  
"Where are we going now?"  
"Amicitia. A pretty colourful town with some Hunter guilds."  
"What do we want there?"  
"Rate."  
"Chrollo ...?"  
He just nodded happily, which is why she rolled her eyes. He watched her fall back into the bed. She didn't seem to like chasing the spider's head. But this man promised entertainment that he didn't want to miss.  
"When are we going?" Rather choked, she asked him another question.  
"If you can get out of this bed."


	56. Manipulation flashback

The mass moved closer together as the train finally arrived. She wasn't sure what the Trickster was thinking, but he decided to take the train. Of all the terrible things of torture he could choose, he chose this one.  
She had repeatedly asked him why they didn't fly with an airship to Amicitia, but he returned her questions again and again with a confident smile.  
Now she was hanging on his arm, hoping not to lose him in the crowd. Although it wasn't very easy, as people ran like savages on the train, but luckily she succeeded. The clown dragged her to a vacant seat, sat down on another, and took a deep breath.  
Just when she wanted to start a conversation, she realized why they had taken the train. Crowds, because it was easier to vanish. Crowds that prevented an attack.  
She felt the aura, if only vaguely. Probably the girl. The man only occasionally attracted attention.  
Examining, she looked to Hisoka to see how he responded to the threat. However, he found it much more interesting to look out the window and not move a meter. Almost as if he had fallen into a rigour.  
It would be a lot easier to get 'Hyde' out of the way. She wasn't a person with special skills in combat, it seemed. Although Shiba didn't know her Nen-Type, it really didn't matter.  
Since the people had all found a seat on the train, the hallways were free, so there couldn't be a problem if she just went for a little patrol.  
One last look at Hisoka, who was still staring out of the window, before she got up and left the hall to the left side. Somewhere this girl had to sit or stand around.  
She looked around extensively. Some people held newspapers, others slept. Nobody looked suspicious. Still, she didn't let go of the uneasy feeling inside, which is why she continued to search. Slowly placing one foot in front of the other, she let her eyes wander until she was attracted to a shallow figure.  
Leaning against a door, masked in a dark coat. Very noticeable, if she had to judge. At the same time, the person seemed to be waiting for someone. That's why Shiba went ahead and headed straight for the unknown. The stranger waited until she was only a few feet away, only to turn around and disappear through the connecting door. She fled to another wagon, it seemed. But why?  
  
Uncertain Shiba stopped. Maybe she should let Hisoka know. But what if the unknown didn't wait for her in the meantime? The situation was too tempting to turn around.  
Even if she counted it among her less brilliant ideas, she followed the person quite conspicuously. So far, until it stopped.  
The last wagon in which were only two people who seemed to sleep.  
Finally, the disguise was solved so that she could take a look in the face of the woman. She was right.  
"You again."  
"Hyde, my name. When do you learn it?"  
"As soon as I see you rise from your grave personally."  
"How mean you are. But don't worry, you won't have to watch something like that. Because you will not come out here anymore."  
Frustrated, Shiba drew a pistol to focus on the black-haired.  
"I told you, I'll kill you if you don't stop interfering in things that are none of your business."  
"You did, I remember. But even if my ability is not perfect, I will make you suffer. Here in this wagon. Forever."  
To her astonishment, the girl pulled two long needles from the inside of her coat. If she wasn't mistaken, they were actually used for acupuncture.  
"I assume you're a Manipulator the way you equip yourself."  
"Do you think?"  
"Enhancers would come up with better things than needles. And Emitters don't need something that ridiculous, while Transmuters play with their own aura."  
"And a Specialist?"  
"You're just too stupid for that."  
Her counterpart briefly twisted the corners of her mouth before softly sighing and preparing for a fight.  
"I will make you both suffer, no matter how."  
"Both?" Perplexed Shiba turned around her own axis. In fact, she hadn't come alone.  
"Hisoka? What are you doing here?"  
"You left. I just wanted to check if you're getting into some stupid tricks again." His stupid smile with the funny undertone was just missing.  
She turned back to 'Hyde', keeping her gun upright. Meanwhile, the Trickster stepped to her side.  
"Are you ready to suffer?" Without waiting for the answer she threw her two needles, which both Hisoka and Shiba defended without any problems. She reached into the inside of her coat again to pull out more needles and pull back.  
"A Manipulator, huh?" Hisoka didn't seem particularly excited.  
"Is it bad?"  
"Yes, they are usually pretty weak, simply because they specialize in nothing but manipulation. Most of them can not even hit properly," he apologized, raising his arms slightly.  
"All right, we are weak, poor and not good fighters. That's why I made preparations." The woman seemed calm.  
"Quick flying needles?" Amusedly, Shiba put her free hand on her hip.  
But the girl was right. She just flicked her fingers before Hunter and Support found themselves in a trap.  
"Oh?"  
"Hisoka ... not oh me ... say that you have a plan!"  
Needles were everywhere around them. At the door, on the benches, on the ceiling. Partly on the ground. Certainly, she could manage to dodge some with her sword. Distract, jump back and start again. But not all. With a fan, it would probably have gone, but a simple Katana wouldn't be able to reject all.  
Hisoka, too, seemed a little overenthusiastic. His Bungee Gum could protect him, but not everywhere. Even if he stuffed himself completely into his pink aura, he wouldn't be fast enough.  
One wrong move and they were dotted with needles.  
It was only in that moment when she lost her balance and she came back with her thoughts. Carefully examining her body, she clung to a small needle. It was in her thigh.  
Shiba could still feel Hisoka's hand on her arm, but she also saw some of the needles spring to him. She wanted to call, but she couldn't find her voice at all.

♦ ♣ ♦

"Stop damned brat!" Cursing with his fist over his head, the baker ran after her.  
Not that he would ever catch her, after all, she was a lot faster than he was.  
Clutching the long loaf of bread, she stormed over the smooth asphalt. A day like any other, on the streets of her homeland.  
The snow on the roadsides was usually wonderful as an obstacle to her pursuers. For a fourteen-year-old, she got better through than many other children on the street. She would probably need no help this time. A quick glance over his shoulder revealed that the old man was already gasping and slowing down.  
Triumphantly, she turned a corner, into an alley. For her a shortcut home.  
Careful not to slip, she jumped on a very low wall at the end of the alley. A look that often came to her eyes. From this small stone wall, one could take a good look at the lower quarter of the city. It was also called slums. Dark houses with snow-covered roofs, people walking or drinking, trembling to warm themselves. A sight that seemed normal to her. The poor people who lived in the lower part of the city and the rich, mountain up in the upper part.  
She didn't know it in any other way and had long resigned herself to the unjust part of the world. One day she would travel the world as an archaeologist. Escape the slums. Discover new things and better care for her two sisters. At the moment, Shiba had neither money nor a decent home. Only when Luzhi was halfway in a good condition, there was the possibility of achieving something. She just had to wait a while.  
Watching the glittering snow in the sunset, she paused for a moment.  
Ikuinen Talvi, a city at the top of the Yorbian continent. Known for the largest trade of salt and gemstones. People who could put their fingers to one of the two things were fortunate enough to see a better future.  
However, the mines were well guarded for the mining of both substances, making penetration virtually impossible. She had long rejected the thought.  
"Stay ... stop …" Hearing the old man panting behind her, she jumped forward from the wall, down into the lower area. Like a cat, she came upon one of the lower roofs and moved on. Down the roof, down the streets, home.  
It wasn't much what she was allowed to call her home. A very run-down house, with a rotten roof and broken windows. It was all that was left after Madame Thiel left them. Her and her two little sisters Luzhi and Hyde.  
Since then, it had more or less been her and Hyde's job to get the food. Her little sister was a lot more talented than she was.  
At some point in recent years, she had found out that there were people with an 'aura'. In a book, she had read that this aura could be turned into something called Nen and that there were different types of this one.  
If Shiba remembered correctly then there were Emitters, Enhancers, Transmuters, Manipulators, Specialists and Conjurers. What every class could do, she didn't know exactly.  
Only was she aware that Hyde spoke of becoming an incredible Enhancer one day.  
Shiba had always admired her for using this talent.

"I'm back!" Opening the door, she called into the interior. On the opposite side was a bed, with two blankets, a pillow and a person between all the things.  
"Luzhi, are you awake?"  
It rustled briefly under the blanket until a young girl sat up.  
"I'm awake."  
"I brought something to eat." Shiba hurried forward, grabbing a chair that stood relatively centrally in the room. It was all they had. This one bed, a simple chair, and a bucket of water, which Hyde filled up every morning at the bottom fountain of the city. The seat left in front of the bed, she sat down on it and broke off a small piece of bread. Carefully, she handed it to her little sister.  
Her skinny fingers no longer had the strength to pack something bigger or heavier. Just as her legs could not carry her anymore. Even the silver bracelet on her narrow joint often seemed too heavy. Formally tied to the bed she lived in this awe-full state. Rather bad than good.  
For almost two months she had slight orientation problems, often she couldn't see for a moment and fever was plaguing her unceasingly. She was probably suffering from muscle atrophy on one side and bad flu on the other.  
However, she had no idea. Only doctors could have made a precise diagnosis, but these cost money. Something she didn't own.  
"Where's Hyde?" As Luzhi slowly pulled the piece of bread to her, Shiba stared at her sister's big dull, blue eyes.  
"I don't know where she is. I think she wanted to meet with Cybele."  
"And she can not wait for me to come back? She can't just leave you alone!"  
"That's not a problem, I don't want to be a burden. You two give yourself so much trouble because of me." Her gaze lowered, nibbling on her food.  
"You are not a burden. You are our little sister and Hyde is just irresponsible. She has nothing else in mind than this stupid Nen. Whatever it is!"  
"Don't you want to learn it too?"  
"What?"  
"Nen. Just think, you could do so much. I hear people talking on the streets. Some of them have heard of it, others may as well use it as Hyde. There are things you can do with it. For example, the Hunter exams."  
Shocked, Shiba turned her head to her little sister.  
"What's this?"  
"As far as I understand it, you do a test that should be super difficult. If you make it, you become a Hunter. And then there are many areas to go to. In any case, you get a lot of money and can live great."  
"Why don't you say that to Hyde. She can do it."  
"Hyde doesn't want to do it. She thinks this is idiotic."  
"Her behaviour is idiotic ... really." Shiba stood up nervously and ran to the small bucket of water. A trowel was in it, so one could drink a little.  
With difficulty, she dragged this to the bed to hold it for her little sister. Thankfully, Luzhi took a sip before turning back to the bread. While slowly eating again, she stated something different. Away from the exams and from Hyde.  
"Shiba?"  
"Yes?"  
"My neck hurts."  
Shiba didn't know exactly what to do, but at least she had an idea. It was cold. Maybe her muscles were tight. At least, with luck.


	57. Different opinion

Carefully, she stroked her sister's long, white hair. Luzhi was an incredibly sweet girl, and if she grew up one day, there certainly wasn't a man who could resist her.  
"Does it still hurt a lot?"  
"It's alright."  
Brief silence converted the room before she started speaking again.  
"Shiba, are you telling me something so I can fall asleep?"  
"I can. What do you want to hear?"  
"A dream. You always have such beautiful dreams, like the last one. Where you stood in the sunset, on a cliff, near the shores. In a warm country."  
She laughed and agreed. She didn't know when it was, but she had dreamed something funny. A story that she would like to experience herself.  
"Well, listen, I'll tell you about a dream that I had recently. Unfortunately, I can not remember exactly when, but it was long and beautiful." Taking a deep breath, she stroked a long, white strand from her sisters face before she started the story.  
"I was a big girl and as you explained, I was a Hunter. Armed with two pistols and a katana, I travelled the world. I was looking for someone to fight with because everything is always so sad if you have to do it alone. And one day I really found a Hunter, can you imagine that? He was perfect."  
"Perfect? Tell me more about him. What did he look like?"  
"Really funny. He had red hair, a little longer and always weird obliquely upwards pointed. But that didn't matter because he had a really nice face. Usually painted with something. On one side a star, on the other a tear. And he wore funny clothes. Not like us. Colourful, and somehow reminiscent of a mix between clown and magician. He was also tall and really strong. His character seemed a bit twisted but exciting."  
Somehow she filled the story with life. As if she had met this man before or had spent time with him. The warming sensation surrounding her chest made her happy.  
"Did the magician have a name?"  
"Yes ... his name was ... Hisoka Morow."  
"Sounds great! And he became your partner? He sounds a bit complicated but funny. Why he and no woman?"  
"Hm ... in the beginning, it was just because I really wanted to compete with somebody in the world. So we worked together more or less on time. At some point ... I don't know. I fell in love with him."  
A happy smile spread on Luzhi's face.  
"In love? How is this feeling? "  
"Exhausting," was the first thing Shiba could think of. Since her little sister wouldn't understand it, she started the other explanation. "It's confusing. Whenever you see the one you love, your heart begins to throb. For Hisoka ... that only applies if he gave me time for this. He was always provocative. Besides, you'll blush pretty fast."  
"Because you are so cold?" Luzhi raised an eyebrow.  
"No, on the contrary. You are getting very hot."  
"That sounds nice ..."  
  
The little girl fell into the pillow while Shiba pressed herself against the back of the chair. Her heart was racing, at the same time, it hurt. Somehow, everything seemed much more real than it should be. A man named Hisoka. And all the other memories she had in her mind. A fight against a girl who looked like Hyde.  
Somewhere in this she had lost consciousness and had woken up at this point. She, a fourteen-year-old.  
Was it perhaps Nen? An ability to look at the future?  
She could remember a lot, but probably not everything, and with each passing minute, she forgot more and more. What could one do if one had Nen? How did one decide the type? Could she apply it herself?  
The creaking of the door made her startle.  
"Calm down, it's just me. How is Luzhi?"  
A quick glance at her little sister revealed that she was sleeping.  
"She's in pain and her fever has gone up."  
"We need medication ... and a doctor."  
For a moment Shiba thought back to the conversation with her youngest sister.  
"Hyde, you can use that Nen thing, right?"  
"Yes, why?" The black-haired girl stopped at the door, careful not to be too loud.  
"Luzhi told me about those Hunter exams. You could participate."  
"Didn't she tell you how hard it is?"  
"Yes, but with a little practice you can do it."  
Hyde seemed to hate the idea just by thinking of it.  
"I don't want to. That is nonsense."  
"Nonsense that might help us out of here."  
"Do you think? I think everyone should focus on themselves. If you want to get out of here, learn Nen yourself."  
"Each for themselves? And Luzhi?"  
"You're the oldest of us, it's your job to look after her."  
Sharp breathing in the air, Shiba stomped toward her little sister. She casually grabbed her by the sleeve and dragged her out the door, a few feet away from the house.  
"It's not just my job to provide Luzhi! You have to help as well, she's your little sister, too!" She didn't keep quiet.  
"Then Luzhi should do something!"  
"She's sick! Ever heard of it? She can barely move! What should she do in your glorious point of view?"  
"I'm twelve! I have a future and I don't intend to be pulled down by you! At the moment it's going well!" Hyde roared back.  
"How can you be so selfish?"  
"I am not selfish, I stay objective! You should also look for something until Luzhi dies!"  
"Until what?" Disbelief spread across Shiba's face as Hyde glanced awkwardly aside. She had uttered something that didn't sound very good in Shiba's ears.  
"Luzhi won't die."  
"She will."  
"Why she should?"  
"Look at her!” Her ice-blue eyes fixed on the elder, Hyde roared again.  
"She is sick, but not so bad that we couldn't cure it!"  
"She dies! Did you look at her bony fingers? She's in pain, the fever is eating her up! She will not make it!"  
"I know!" Shiba pitifully admitted, but still, she didn't want to give up. "But that doesn't give us the right not to believe in her anymore. Or just let her die!"  
"What do you want to do then?"  
"Hyde, I swear, I'll kill you myself if Luzhi dies! Nen or not, you're done! You will help me to save her!"  
For a moment, they stared angrily into each other's eyes before a third voice interrupted them.  
"You shouldn't argue. You are both right. Luzhi is feeling bad, but you should stick to her. However, you should also face the truth."  
Snorting, both sisters turned their heads in the direction from which the talk came. They noticed a pretty girl. Short blond hair and dangerously blue eyes. A class of its own and a well-known child for both of them.

"Cybele? What are you doing here?" Hyde tilted puzzled her head while Shiba only put her hands on her hips, annoyed.  
"I wanted to stop by. Luzhi is also my friend."  
"She's sleeping right now, so you probably won't be able to talk to her."  
"Pity. Say, Shiba, why don't you learn Nen in moments like these? I'm sure if Hyde can do it, you can too."  
Her high-pitched voice would eventually make Shiba fall in rage again. She didn't particularly like Cybele, which was just because this girl thought she was better. She lived easier than the rest, stealing money from people rather than food. Somehow, in Shiba's eyes, it wasn't fair to steal money. Food was less valuable and easier to obtain than money itself, so she would never touch it.  
"I will learn Nen when Luzhi is better. Instead of leaving her alone in the house like Hyde, I'd rather stay by her side."  
"You can also do small exercises. If you should find a jar, fill it with water, put a leaf on it and concentrate on it. Maybe something will happen."  
Shiba turned away, shaking her head. For her twelve years, Cybele had a very annoying tone. Arrogant and know-it-all. It wouldn't bother her if she would ever be eaten by wild dogs.

♦ ♣ ♦

She didn't see Hyde until the evening, while Luzhis's condition continued to get worse. She was breathing hard and her skin was boiling. Partly she cried out more often because her neck hurt so badly. A headache troubled her immensely.  
But the worst part was that Shiba didn't know what to do. She had only water available, which wasn't enough at all.  
The loud screams of her little sister drove her crazy and there was nobody else who could have helped. Still, she would have liked to have Hyde at her side. At least, not to be alone.  
Gradually, the cries of her youngest sister became quieter, until they finally fell silent.  
"Luzhi? Did the pain diminish?"  
She got no answer, so she went to the bed. Where she had previously stared rigidly into the bucket of water, she now dared to go to her sister.  
"Luzhi?" She put a hand carefully on the cheek of the youngest, whereupon she pulled it back again. Her skin was very cold, although she was still burning a second ago. Her lips had turned blue, her skin was even greyer than before.  
Almost at the same moment, the door opened inside, Hyde had come home.  
"Eve."  
Shiba didn't answer her. Her shocked look still clung to the lifeless body in front of her.  
"Are you still mad? My God, you are truly resentful."  
"N-Not that."  
"Huh?" The black-haired came a little closer, but coped with the sight, much better than Shiba.  
"I said, she will die. There was nothing you could have done."  
"Where have you been? Why weren't you here ?!" Angry, the elder turned to her little sister. "She was only ten! If you already knew that she would die, was it too much to ask you to at least look after her like a sister?"  
"I trained. Don't you understand that my future depends on it?"  
"What future, if you don't want to become a Hunter anyway with your 'oh so great' Nen?"  
"You can do other things with it!" Hyde protested trying to fight back.  
"Let the family apathetically die, for example?"  
"You're just jealous that I can do it."  
"Are you stupid? Luzhi is dead, don't you see that? What interests me your stupid ability?"  
Silence drew between the fronts until Shiba finally remembered whom Hyde most reminded her.  
"You're just like Cybele."  
"And? What's wrong with that? She is great and smart. She doesn't care about morals and I think that's not such a bad idea."  
"Someone should hang you."  
"As if you would stand that. Start something with your life! Become a Hunter, if you believe that this nonsense is doing anything good. You don't have to worry about Luzhi anymore."  
It sounded like a charge against Luzhi, which is why Shiba simply couldn't hold on to it. Hyde was completely corrupt, selfish and ignorant. A girl like her shouldn't be left out in the world.

For a moment, Shiba seemed to lose control. Somehow she knew the feeling. Had she ever experienced it in the dream with Hisoka? The memory lingered vaguely in her mind. It wasn't the dream with Hisoka, much more it seemed to be older. How she lost her temper, killed three men and met a young woman. How was her name? Cheadle?  
Somehow it didn't matter because her body was already acting on its own.  
With all the strength she could muster, she hit Hyde in the face. She didn't see the blow coming and fell to the ground. Shiba took the moment to jump on her and put her hands on her neck. Without really wanting to, she pushed. This memory was familiar to her, too. Didn't she do that before?  
"S-Stop …" The black-haired girl gripped the wrists of Shiba, but the panic was too deep. She couldn't concentrate on her Nen. On and on, the elders' fingers drilled into her little sister's neck. She already started to gasp helplessly for air. Saliva ran from the corner of her mouth and her eyes came out a little.  
Shiba wanted to stop. Let go. But her body didn't want to obey her.  
Why wasn't she in control? Had she not mastered it, or did it happen in the years that should still come? What was the answer to everything?  
It was only when Hyde's hands sank lifelessly that she let her go. Deep red spots were found on her throat.  
That was how she actually strangled her little sister herself.


	58. Light between shadow

The sky had darkened a while ago. Rain poured down on the city and the only thing left was the rippling sound from the gutters.  
Almost without any noise, she staggered along the empty streets. In her hands, Luzhi's bracelet, which she had simply taken. Unsure, whether as a reminder or not. Without knowing what had happened, she dragged her body across the floor.  
Memories mingled came up and disappeared. No - rather, they merged. She killed Hyde, twice. Luzhi had died, twice. In both cases, to her knowledge, it was meningitis caused by bacterial infections. When did she find out?  
Probably two years later, when she first set foot in a library and got to know medicine. But if this happened in two years, what about this here and now?  
She was only fourteen and, judging from her memory, she found the cause of death at sixteen. At eighteen she had become better acquainted with Nen and his forms. At age nineteen, she participated in the Hunter trials and killed three people. She met a woman. She no longer knew the name.  
She met a man. She fell in love.  
She got into a fight. She lost herself.  
Was that the cycle she was in? A time warp, which slowly consumed everything of her?  
She stopped in the middle of the rain. What happened next?  
Her head kept being empty, almost like a system crash. She could remember everything she expected, but not a single conversation had burned in her mind. And there was the matter with Hyde. Shiba had strangled her, but one day she would simply reappear. She would take revenge.  
  
She started moving again. Her story told her that she had to leave town. After losing her sisters, she dedicated herself to a journey around the world to understand people better, to learn to read and write.  
So what would happen if she did something else? What if she destroyed the future?  
Ikuinen Talvi was a city bordering the sea. They were at the highest peak of the Yorbian continent, to the north. What would happen if she jumped in?  
Almost unconscious, she headed for the coast. She knew there was a jetty nearby for all the boats heading for the country.  
That's why she dripping wet followed the streets of her home country. If she remembered correctly, then she couldn't swim at fourteen. She had learned it quite late. The benefit was that her thoughts were so confused that she couldn't remember exactly how she had learned it. Thus, she would most likely drown if she jumped into the water. She just had to close her eyes and break the time loop. Complete, so that she never again had to experience the same.  
The wood under her shoes creaked as she walked ahead. Always on, right up to the edge. A bright part of the horizon was visible, presumably the sun was just rising. Or did it go under? What happened next?  
She shook her head. Everything seemed so real and yet completely plastic.  
She pushed on to the edge. Only a little bit was missing before she lost the ground. A feeling that she hated. How many times in the future she would jump from unimagined heights. To escape and a few times because Hisoka found it funny.  
Taking a deep breath, she collected her thoughts one last time. Whatever followed, she destroyed it.  
Just one step, down to the bottom. Just one and it would be over. If the way out was her death, she would gratefully accept it. She didn't want to grow up and find her way back. Not again and again. Not back on that one day when the world got a bit greyer than it already was.  
There seemed to be nothing wrong with dying in a situation where her head didn't know what had happened anyway. Simply not existing seemed so much easier than growing up and finding the way back to youth.  
How many times has it happened?  
She hesitated. Somehow she couldn't remember anything that had happened before that day. Only what followed was found deep in her memory.  
One last look at the blue mass beneath her. She would jump.

It cost her less than expected. She just pushed her body over the edge, let herself fall, down into the depths. From moment to moment, her body was surrounded by a cold, which was nothing compared to all the cold nights she had behind her.  
She wanted to catch her breath, but everything that came into her mouth was water. It made her nervous, panicky. Drowning was not a method that made one die quickly and easily.  
That's why she started fighting. Blind with fear she waved her arms, trying to reach for the footbridge, which moved farther and farther away from her. She sank low, far from salvation.  
Was it a similar feeling Hyde had suffered? She was suffocated, also panting for air, without getting any. A feeling like the throat is contracting. Almost as if you were hanging yourself, with a rope as thick as the blade of your sword.  
Black dots moved into her field of vision. Did she lose the ability to see?  
Desperately, she tried to swim up, but the cold water increasingly paralyzed her body and made her sink like a stone. Panic continued to spread throughout her. Why did she want to die right now? Would she be heard if she called for help now?  
Although she opened her mouth, the names only rang in her head. Maybe it wasn't so bad to grow up again. With every attempt, she could do something better. Maybe tell Hisoka that she loved him. Apologize to Cheadle. Visit Netero. Take Killua in her arms.  
She didn't even know who these people were anymore, but she sensed that they meant something. Presumably, they were an important part of her story.  
She looked up, straight through the dark of the water. The light moved slowly across the surface as the sun rose in the sky.  
There was no point in fighting anymore. Her clothes, though not much, suddenly weighed a lot more than before. Drowning was a strange thing. Water filled the lungs, causing panic. But as soon as one noticed that there was no way out, everything became a single melancholy. You became very calm and started to think. As consciousness drifted farther and farther, she had nothing better to do than wonder how a ragged shirt and torn trousers could be so heavy.  
There were many things she couldn't understand. Maybe she was at least able to change her coming fate.  
One last attempt to scream, forgetting that she was underwater. It caused the darkness to whirl around her body. Her mind kept turning away from her, her eyes only half-opening upward. The long, white hair sank gently behind her. It was so much easier. If one cut it, it would certainly float up.  
Another thought that really doesn't matter anymore. Small bubbles swam towards the surface, moving farther and farther away from her.  
Surely she would soon reach the bottom.

Closing her eyes she gave herself up to the end. Far more relaxed than at the beginning, she let herself be pulled down. Always further down in the cold. So far, until it got warmer again.  
Confused, she opened her eyes again a little. It actually got warmer, every minute. Although she could not move, her body was not yet deaf enough to turn this warm feeling into wishful thinking.  
The comforting feeling clenched her legs, reaching up to her hips. Looking down slowly, she saw a little more. The darkness broke at her feet, in a bright light. Remembering a daybreak she had somehow longed for, despite everything. Somewhere between drowning and all the things she could do better. Would she be able to reach for the light?  
Her body was clearly too heavy, too sluggish to do anything. Consciousness would leave her before she found her way through the light. Long before.


	59. Hisoka

Opening her eyelids slowly, she immediately caught the graceful blue of the sky in her eyes. Lifting a hand to protect herself from the light, she thought about her situation for a moment. There was no doubt that she had drowned and yet she still seemed alive.  
Looking closer at her hand, she noticed the neat nails. They were not as broken and cracked as they once were in her childhood.  
She reached for her hair. Short cut, slightly shorter than shoulder length. As she was used to, for quite a while. Examining, she next grabbed her top and pulled it up roughly, so she could take a quick look at it. A heart and a rhombus were attached to the front. It was the piece she got from Hisoka. So she had to be back in her normal body.  
For a moment she tried to collect herself. One day of her childhood, she had relived, lost her mind, and killed herself. If she thought rationally about the whole thing, the chaos that had happened could be nothing more than an actual time loop. Certainly not, to her current point of view.  
But another question that came to her was simply why she suddenly knew everything again.  
She had fought a fight against the wrong 'Hyde' who wanted to make her suffer. Since she couldn't remember dialogues before, this scene had to be interpreted in different directions. But what happened to her suddenly lying on the ground with her back to the ground?  
Sighing quietly, she turned her head to her left just to get another question. Why was she lying next to herself?  
Confused, she kept her eyes on the girl next to her. It was clearly the fourteen-year-old version of herself. If 'Hyde' had put her into this time loop, what exactly did that mistake mean? Maybe it had been a part that her opponent herself hadn't included. By all means, she had mentioned that her ability was not perfect. This could also mean that there had to be a way out somewhere.  
It didn't matter how much she let her gaze wander, she didn't even know where she was. The ground beneath her was dusty, a bit sandy, while run-down houses surrounded her. A little farther, toward the end of the street, she saw a few more magnificent buildings. Highly built and richly decorated. If she took this picture into words, then it had to be a city that was also overtaken by greed. Humans were terrible creatures when it came to wealth and possessions.  
  
"Where am I?"  
Shiba turned shocked to her younger version, which was terrified startled. She was dirty, her long hair hanging wild from her head, and the ragged clothes made her look as seedy as she really was.  
"I have no idea," she replied unsure to the little one.  
"And who are you?"  
She took a breath but waited a moment before answering.  
"I'm Shiwa.” It was probably best if her younger version wasn't even more confused than she already was. It was impossible to tell her that they were the same person, just from different timelines.  
"That sounds nearly the same!"  
"What?"  
"I am Shiba. And your name is Shiwa. Sounds great!"  
"And easy to remember!" She added happily before she got up and knocked the dust off. "Shall we take a look around?"  
"Good idea. I have no idea where we are."  
"Then let us find out."  
That was the decision. Together with little Shiba, she followed the streets from one corner to the next. However, people completely ignored her. Either they were terribly conceited or couldn't actually hear, let alone see. As if in a trance, all these people ran past her, without even wasting a look.  
There had to be a reason why they were in this place.  
"Shiwa, look!" Plucking at her top, little Shiba jumped up and down. She looked so excited that Shiba herself could barely follow. The sight of a happy child made her heart melt a little. Especially because she was herself.  
Nevertheless, she made every effort to follow the small finger, which is why she was hanging on to a very large building with her eyes. Although it was not fundamentally in good condition, as a few missing columns showed, it impressed by design and colour.  
A soft terracotta, with white accents and grey posts. An exceedingly daring combination of colours that she didn't like.  
"Do you think we'll find someone there who will listen to us?" She looked questioningly at the girl. She answered with only a zealous nod, so they set course for the building. She took her younger self by the hand so as not to lose her.

♦ ♣ ♦

Silence passed over the backyard. Inside the architecture, both received as much attention as before, so they wandered around the building. Directly behind it was a large area, ordered with grandstands and a stage. Presumably, there were quite a few events going on here at this location. Concerts or magical performances when she had to guess.  
However, since nobody was in this place, they went ahead. The place behind the site went even further. White sheets were attached to long clotheslines and somewhere behind them, they actually saw a person.  
A pretty brunette, about the age of her younger self.  
"Excuse me, please? We need your help. "  
She didn't even raise her head when Shiba spoke to her. She continued to wash a piece of cloth in the bucket in front of her.  
"I think she can't hear us either." Almost depressed, the little girl looked down. Certainly, the situation wasn't only confusing for her, but also daunting.  
"Oh? How exciting..."  
Quick as a flash, Shiba released her small version and once turned on her own axis. She knew the voice too well not to recognize it.  
"Hisoka ?!" She couldn't see him far and wide.  
"You really have matured when I look at it that way."  
Once again she turned around, but this time she almost fell over the Trickster. He had squatted down to give little Shiba a friendly smile.  
"Who are you?" Uncertainly, her younger version moved a little closer.  
"You ... don't remember?" Shiba was a little surprised because she thought she had the same in mind as she did. "What else do you know?"  
"I fell asleep and woke up here."  
"How come you came here, Shi-"  
"By train!" She interrupted him before he could pronounce her name. If the little girl found out that they were the same, chances of even more confusion popped up.  
"If it helps, I'll show her the place a bit."  
A shiver moved over her back. Since Hisoka kept his mouth shut in front of her, there was only one way to get where it came from. Slightly insecure, she turned aside to see her partner in his younger years. Admittedly, a sweet boy with the same haircut that Hisoka still wore. Unlike the Trickster, he kept them normal, together with normal clothes. A completely fine boy without any signs of disturbing behaviour. What had just become of this sweet child?

"That would certainly help!" Hisoka spoke to him, while the boy just nodded and held out his hand to her younger self.  
"Follow me."  
She looked up at Shiba for a moment, who only smiled encouragingly so that the little girl accepted the offer. Together with Hisoka number two, she moved further and further away from the two adults.  
"You clearly haven't said anything to her, huh?" Putting a finger to his lips in amusement, he started the conversation again.  
"Are you somehow abandoned by all good spirits? I can't tell her that we are one and the same person."  
"She wouldn't understand it either."  
"As if your small edition would do that."  
"Quite." Playfully he made a joker appear. "It would be a shame to let such a confusing puzzle pass."  
Rolling her eyes, she put a hand on her hips and tore the joker from his hand. This man had problems she would never understand. Of course, he was smart, but one also had to prove a bit of sensitivity somewhere.  
"If you're here, that must be your past. But why are you here twice?"  
"Exactly. It's pretty easy. If you concentrate your Nen, this effect occurs. We are separated from our younger versions, together with memories and personalities. The way you sound, you've been separated in another way." The sparkle in his eyes told subtle interest, which she skillfully ignored.  
"So that's it. And where am I right now, if I may ask?"  
"Glam Gas, also known as the former Hence. Northeast on the Yorbian continent." He instructively raised his index finger, his eyes fixed on his card in her hand.  
"Oh? So we both grew up pretty close to each other."  
"If you say so, coupled with your looks, you will certainly come from the lower class Ikuinen Talvis."  
"Sometimes I wonder why I'm even talking to you if you know everything anyway." She wrinkled her nose and turned away. "How did I end up here?"  
He moved a little closer to her so that her shoulder was against his chest: "Surely your unruly desire has made us meet again."  
His purring was unbearable, but she didn't dare counter it. She couldn't deny it had something to do with it. Maybe not. But she remembered all the things she had said to Luzhi. Including that she fell in love with Hisoka.  
Only to harm him at least, she took his card and stuffed it in her top, down to her bra.

"How do we get out of here?" As calm as the situation allowed, she asked him a new question.  
"Who knows?" Shrugging briefly, he sounded almost completely disinterested. It wasn't nearly that unimportant that they found their way back.  
"So the worthy Lord wants to spend the rest of his life here with me in this place? Buy a house? Start a family? To become a houseman?"  
A look of disapproval reached her before sighing softly.  
"We'll get out of here soon, anyway. At the latest, when the needles are removed. After all, they are the reason why we are here."  
"And who do you think should remove them?"  
"Anyone checking this wagon would be able to do that. Patience, Shiba."  
No clear thought crossed her mind. Only two things were stuck in her. To one, how they should find out of this time loop, on the other, how she should continue to deal with Hisoka. Now that she was fully aware that she loved him, she could barely meet his eyes. Redness came over her at once, even though she remembered how close he sometimes came to her. Previously, it was still limited, as she could deny everything. But with each passing second at his side, her heart pounded faster.  
Should she tell him? If they didn't find a way out of this place anyway, it wasn't such a bad idea to face the facts.  
"Hisoka?"  
He tilted his head back to look at her.  
"Because of earlier, you know …" She briefly thought for a moment. "... the place when you said that my desire had probably brought me to you ..."  
"That was a joke. Don't take everything so seriously, getting so fast angry is bad for the body." He lurched away from her.  
"Hisoka! Damn, that's not what I want to say! Much rather- "She laced her throat.  
This time, he turned to face her as she reached for her neck. She couldn't breathe. Something seemed to stifle her and she didn't know what it was.  
She had barely found her way out of the black abyss when the next devoured her.  
Without time to say another word.


	60. Burned memory

Gasping for air, she opened her eyes within an instant. The first thing she saw was a wooden ceiling that blocked the view of the sky. Where she used to be in Glam Gas minutes before, she was now lying on the hard floor of the train where the chaos had once begun.  
Relieved, she swallowed briefly, turning her head to one side. Hisoka was lying next to her, facing the floor.  
"You're awake?"  
Groaning, she tried to get up in order to give the voice a face. In contrast to her state of mind, it sounded completely calm and almost reassuring. Not too deep, not too high.  
Her arms refused to help her up, causing her to fall back. Closing her eyes, she focused on her surroundings. The smell of blood seeped into her nose, combined with metal and very old paper. Maybe one of them was injured. Probably the Trickster rather than she, since he had tried to grab her as she fell to the ground. She remembered this part before the disturbing memory began.  
"Don't you come up? Geez, what can you do?" Slightly irritated, she felt someone gently grab her arm and pull her up. She opened her eyes again to look her helper in the face. At first glance, a handsome man. Dark, deep blue eyes stared at her lovingly, though a little annoyed.  
"Who are you?"  
He was as strong built as Hisoka, which made it impossible to look past him. The only thing that she saw was this man, who was just brushing off a long strand of his red hair. He had left the rest tied together in a loose braid by letting out a few front strands. But it wasn't really what made him stand out. Rather, it was the Yukata he wore. Black, with some patterns on the sleeves and the lower surface. But if she saw it right, he wore a few things under it. Among other things a pair of black trousers and matching shoes, reminiscent of those of Hisoka, when he wandered around in Greed Iceland.  
The man hesitated a bit before answering her.  
"Hideyoshi. But you can call me Hide... not as if I'm interested."  
"Did you save me?"  
"Do you see anybody else here who could have helped you? I like you, but is it possible that you hit your head?"  
She widened her eyes in surprise. He didn't seem nearly as nice as she had thought.  
"Um ... is there a reason why you saved me?"  
"Not just you, the guy over there, next to you too. My brother asked me for it."  
"Why?"  
"Oh Shiba, if you would deal with more important things now and then, than artefacts. Or completely crazy men ... where ... forget it." His eyes looked to another side. He seemed to remember something rather unpleasant.  
Shiba's interest, on the other hand, was hanging on a chain around his neck. A cross, as believers usually wore. Her counterpart didn't miss this little attention.  
"It's part of my job. Lets me get more believable."  
"Are you a Hunter too? I'm sorry, you're just so unarmed ..."  
"Hm? I'm not!" To prove it to her, he pulled the Yukata up his legs a little further, so she got a clear view of two pistols. Far larger models than she owned herself. Coming with a longer barrel, so they didn't completely nested, like Shiba's, on his leg. Impressive pieces, with a black handle, surrounded by the finest metal.  
  
"Unbelievable …," she murmured softly, looking up at him again.  
"I'm an Emitter, just like you. And to answer your question, I'm a Hunter. I work as Justice Hunter to be exact."  
"Like me?" Only slowly it dawned on her that something was wrong. "How do you know my name and my Nen class?"  
"I know a lot about you, Shiba. As I said, maybe you should investigate a bit. I don't want to break the rules of my home anymore."  
"Which rules? What are you talking about?"  
"Search, Shiba. Any other questions I can not answer?" He seemed almost amused by her confusion.  
Shaking her head, she tried again to stand up, which worked out quite well for her luck. The little break after awakening had helped her a lot. But as soon as she stood upright on both legs, she wished to have stayed seated. The sight in front of her eyes was not something one really wanted to see.  
"Say ... Hide ... what is a Justice Hunter?"  
He remained sitting cross-legged, a position he had taken before after she had sat upright in front of him. He only glanced at the chaos at the passage door.  
"We take care of sinners. Sometimes by our own wishes, more often on request. My brother had to work which is why I came. For the rest, you were pretty lucky. I bet he would have done the same thing with your partner. For me, it was only important to save you. Since this girl over there sinned anyway, it was time to punish her."  
"Punish? That's no punishment anymore..." Her eyes were fixed on the 'Hyde' wannabe.  
"At first, you hurt a person to bring them to remorse. Then you cleanse their souls. That they have to give their lives for it is something completely natural and is considered a punishment, together with the remorse of sins."  
"That is sick..."  
She had never seen such a work, let alone heard of monsters like the Justice Hunter. She didn't quite know how to put such a picture into words.  
On the wall hung the girl who had attacked her. Big nails had been pushed through her hands, so the blood ran incessantly over her arms. Lowering her head, her black hair completely covered her face. A few strands hung on the half-sunk blades in her chest. Four in number. It seemed that Hide had pushed her through them in a certain order.  
Blood also spurted from these injuries, albeit less than expected. The swords seemed to prevent a fast bleeding. Nevertheless, a considerable puddle had already formed on the ground underneath.  
And suddenly she realized what this picture reminded her of.  
"You crucified her."

Applauding, he was still sitting in front of her, pointing with his thumb upwards, that she was perfectly right.  
"To help you understand that a little bit better, I'll explain a few details. The four swords reflect her worst sins. In this case robbery, threat, exploitation and betrayal. I have subjected her to a normal crucifixion. So I have two blades sunk under her breasts to cleanse her heart and free her conscience. I had to attach the third blade about an inch above her belly button so that all evil can get out of her. And the fourth belongs between the breasts to free the soul. It's pretty easy with four sins. If it's more, you do it the other way around, but that's another story."  
"That should be fair? I mean, we all kill, but you are not better! Who the hell is calling this justice?" She walked back a bit in panic.  
"We are sent from God. We only clean the evil."  
"And what about your own family?"  
"Opinions split," he sighed and finally rose. "Some kill the rotted branches of the family, others say the family is holy. Don't worry, I will not kill you. Your partner too, if you can tell me what that is between you two."  
She could hardly follow him, but the very thought of how Hisoka was killed in the same position drove her mad. Therefore, she approached the man again and stood on tiptoe to reach his ear.  
"He's officially my partner and more important than any other person I know. In my view, you can probably imagine what that means."  
He grabbed her by the shoulders and hugged her tight. Something completely unexpected in her eyes.  
"Shiba! You've become such a big girl, not smart, but cute. That doesn't mean I'm interested in that, but I'm happy for you a little bit. If anyone speaks against you, I will execute it with pleasure!"  
Although she didn't return his hug, she was reassured by the fact that Hisoka would stay alive. At least until their joint bet came to an end.  
A moment later he let her go, with a mischievous smile on his face.  
"I think I can go now. Oh, and your partner still has a needle in his shoulder. If you pull it out, he'll wake up."  
"Tell me one more thing …" Before he could turn around, she stopped him. "Do you know who this girl is? She pretended to be Hyde, but I doubt strongly that she is."  
Sighing, he shook his head briefly.  
"You really don't search for information, do you? It's not like I'm better, but you don't even know that? As you wish. She's not Hyde, you're right. After all, you killed her and dead people usually don't get up that fast."  
She didn't even bother to ask how he knew this detail.  
"Her name is well known to you."  
"Is it?" She raised an eyebrow in surprise.  
"Cybele Grea."


	61. New acquaintance

With an open mouth, the rather stranger man left her behind. She had no idea what she should have said to his last words.  
A person once known to her, disguised as Hyde, hanging at the exit of the wagon. Cybele Grea, the pretty blonde who eventually disappeared. Between her two sisters, she didn't even think about this girl anymore. Not for a minute. And now she just hung there, crucified like a lamb of God.  
Hisoka, who was still lying motionless beside her, was a perfect way to distract herself. Hide said there was still a needle in his shoulder. Searching for this, she felt along his upper body until she held the thin stick between her fingers. She pulled it out easily, waiting for a response from her partner. Only slowly he moved one finger after the other. He generally looked a bit stiff.  
"Hisoka?"  
Just turning his head in her direction, he looked at her with a wide smile.  
"Don't look so stupid and get up."  
"Oh?" As he was ordered, he scrambled to his feet and tapped off his clothes a little. "It looks like the train is still driving."  
She followed his gaze outside. In fact, landscapes and isolated houses still passed by. The Trickster, on the other hand, turned his gaze to the door on which Cybele hung.  
"We had help as it seems to me. So everything turned out perfectly fine." He crossed his arms in front of his chest, while Shiba looked rather perplexed.  
"Sounds almost as if you had planned it."  
"Who knows?" He gave her a brief wink, before settling down on one of the benches to wait. Shiba did the same and settled down on the opposite side.  
If he had planned the whole thing, then he was clearly meaner than she originally thought. He didn't really care if someone died young. There were enough reasons to do just that. Did this man have absolutely no pity?  
He didn't even want to say anything about this kind of execution. He simply sat in his seat, took out his cards and began to mix. She wasn't sure if she should find this behaviour disgusting or admirable. Shiba just knew, that she disliked it in one the one hand, which could be due to her nature. Because on the other hand, it seemed unbelievable how he could stay so calm with a corpse as a painting in the same room.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦

Amicitia, a city in the south of the Yorbian continent. It reminded a little of Antokiba, only much more filled. Above all, there really seemed to be a lot of Hunter in this place. Not only that, she found a guild on every corner. Buildings, majestically built and decorated, in simple but eye-catching colours. The associated Hunter managed to get along without jumping right up against their necks, though they all looked so different.  
In addition, they kept each building labelled not only with the name of the guild but also with the class of Hunter. Thus, one knew exactly which group was responsible for which responsibility.  
In addition to a small guild for Virus Hunter, she also found larger ones for Gourmet and Justice Hunter. In the process, she only casually asked herself whether the redhead belonged to this assembly.  
"Truly unbelievable. There seems to be a group of people for each area that comes together in one place!" She enthusiastically turned to Hisoka, whom she eventually overtook. He strolled leisurely after her, waiting for her to stop. However, she didn't really think about stopping and even put a little bit of pace on top of it.  
"You said you wanted to look for Chrollo, huh?"  
"Absolutely."  
Abruptly she stopped, which he didn't really see coming and thus walked against her. Somewhat caught, he backed away, the smile fading on his lips. Surely he could look pretty serious if he didn't look like a playful dog.  
"I suggest we separate in advance and meet again later." Although she was reluctant to make such proposals, their interests were clearly different. While he was trying to catch Chrollo, the only thing that was important to her was the life of a guild, and perhaps an unprecedented home. A place she might belong to and even could find friends.  
"As you wish. I suppose I'll need two or three days to find out everything I need. Maybe a little longer. The one who gets his stuff together first, just get in touch."  
"The first suggestion of yours, which I don't find is stupid!" She happily clapped her hands, which pushed the Trickster's moves up again. Somehow he seemed more relaxed than usual, which made her even happier. In her opinion, it could only be because he felt comfortable by her side.

No sooner had he fully agreed with her idea, she turned her back on him and continued to walk the streets exploring the main path along. So many people enjoyed the existence that it was already jumping on her. If she ever retired, this city was considered the best candidate for a settled home.  
Seeking, she let her eyes wander until she got stuck at a huge fountain. Perhaps it marked the center of the city, conspicuous and graceful.  
The water splashed rivetingly down to its lower reservoir, each drop sparkling a bit in the sunlight. A sight that she would have liked to pay more attention to wouldn't have been something in the background, which interested her far more.  
The uppermost sign on this building had been attached very legibly. Someone had written the word 'Auxilio' in a clean script, which was probably the name for the members inside. But it wasn't this part that blessed everything in her. Rather, the reason was a sign further below. Support Hunter, as she deciphered. A guild of personalities that might resemble her.  
Or not.  
With a heavy swallow, she thought back to all the bars she had already left behind. The people were rude and palpable, always provoking trouble. Hadn't William turned up in the last, there might have been a fight.  
In a guild, it certainly didn't look different.  
Nevertheless, she wanted to take a look inside.  
That's why she bravely walked on, closer to the building, to the door. A pretty big one that made it easy to go through with three people at the same time, made of pretty solid wood. Shiba pushed it cautiously by a few inches, only to be able to squint in with one eye. Not many people stayed in the house. Maybe forty.  
To her surprise, none of them made a dodgy impression, which was extremely reassuring, and tempted her to open the door completely to push herself inside.  
Immediately all heads turned in her direction and also watched her a bit before a few exclamations reached her ear.  
"I have never seen you here!"  
"Are you new?"  
"Beginner or have you been here for some time?"  
"Guys, we don't even know if this woman is a Hunter!"  
"Look at her and then try to get your little brain moving!"  
Both men and women roared in a tone that was more amused than evil. Even she had no idea how to react to all those things, so she just stood unsure at her place.

"Don't worry, they're always on the lookout when someone turns the corner."  
Squealing, Shiba jumped half a yard to the side, as she hadn't noticed the person by her side. She had sneaked up like a mouse. But Shiba noticed right away how pretty she was. The black hair knotted in two balls on her head, she held a few strands outside to framing the fine face.  
"You seem a little disturbed."  
"Do I?" With difficulty, Shiba forced a smile. Although the girl in front of her was incredibly pretty, she showed too much. Her entire outfit was provocative to everything and everyone. The long legs were covered by nothing and her clearly to short skirt concealed just the bare essentials. It reached, in his white colour with the brown ornaments, to below her breasts, which one just couldn't call small.  
The only legitimate things Shiba could see were the red ribbons on her braids, as well as the red, fairly open heel shoes.  
"I know what you're thinking." The girl apologetically stroked a fold from the sleeveless blouse, which completely covered her upper area.  
"Is that so?" Still frozen stiff, Shiba met her counterpart.  
"Yes, my outfit is pretty provocative. But there is a reason for that."  
"Really?" Scepticism spread throughout her.  
"We are Support Hunter, as you know. We are looking for partners with whom we can share the world together. However, that's not so easy. As a result, I dress sexily, so one day, be it male or female, my transition partner won't be able to get away from me."  
Clearly nodding, she followed the idea of her counterpart. Actually, it wasn't such a bad idea, even if she didn't quite understand the point of view.  
"Don't you think you should convince someone of your abilities, rather than skin?"  
"Yes, but that isn't so easy. You're also a Support, I suppose?"  
"I am!" Proudly Shiba arose slightly. She was actually among like-minded people.  
"Rusalka, now share the young woman with us. You always claim everything for yourself!" Somewhere from the back corners, someone roared around the room, what others only advocated.  
"Because unlike you, I don't go wild like a little lion!" Shiba's counterpart retorted and ended the conversation with a dismissive gesture. "Let's go out, the boys are always a bit loud and the women ... are not any better."  
Without even having a say, Shiba was pushed out the door, onto the street. Behind her the girl she had just met.  
"Let's go to a rather quiet place!" She took the sceptre completely in the hand so that Shiba could only follow with a nod.

"As I said, it's not easy to find a partner. They are always so conceited, they think they are better off without help. You'd have to know if you're a Support too."  
"Hm, certainly. But I haven't been looking for a partner for about half a year."  
"Is that so?" Interested the stranger stared over to her.  
Even Shiba had to smile about her own statement. In fact, it had been half a year since she had joined Hisoka's side. Somewhere in between she even got a year older.  
"Yes, I have found a partner."  
"Happy, I would like to have a partner too. I'm really good at fighting. But somehow nobody really wants to work with me permanently."  
"I know that game. I've been looking for a partner for over two years."  
"And indeed found one. I've been looking for seven years and just can't find someone who seems suitable."  
Surprised, Shiba put her head back a bit. This woman didn't look so much older than herself.  
"Well, maybe I can ask who exactly you are?"  
Almost shocked, the black-haired woman put her hand over her mouth. "We have completely omitted the introduction. Well, don't worry. I'm Rusalka Moriarty and before you ask, I'm really not much older than you look. At the moment I am twenty-two and at the end of the year, I will be one year older. Are your questions clarified?"  
"I think so …" A bit uncertain, Shiba tilted her head.  
"Can I give the question back?"  
"Oh, of course. Shiba Erskine, also twenty-two, but this year I will probably only get visually older."  
"Erskine?"  
Again, someone wondered, astonished by her last name, what was slowly escaped her understanding.  
"Yes, Erskine. What do all of you have with this name?"  
"Well, with such a well-known family you should at least know that they exist."  
"What?"  
"Come on! Everyone knows that the Erskine not only have three very strong Justice Hunters in their ranks, but also a chain of fashion. At least in the largest cities, the small ones may not offer enough buyers. I didn't even know that there is a daughter in this family. You are pretty lucky."  
"I think you the wrong person here. I don't have such a family." Shiba was already shaking her head as she slowly panicked. Razor, whom she had met in Greed Island, had also said something in that direction. The stranger who broke the rules and asked her to come home. Hide, who also broke the rules to save her.  
"You have to introduce me to Ricardo! If his sweet little sister asks him, he will certainly accept me as Support. I really have a weakness for this man!"  
While Rusalka continued babbling on happily, her interlocutor could hardly stand on her feet as bad as she felt.  
"Sure …," was all she pressed out.


	62. Support x Support

"And his eyes ... how do you manage to stay so relaxed as a little sister when you have something so delicious running around at home?"  
Rusalka barely came out of the swarming for a certain 'Ricardo', who was probably related to Shiba. In the process, she barely found a gap to squeeze something in between.  
"Rusalka!" At some point, she just yelled, so that her counterpart looked at her puzzled.  
"What is it? Too much?"  
"Not that, but I have to disappoint you. I have no idea who these people are. I didn't grow up here. Are you sure that I belong to these people?"  
"Clearly. If you look closer, you'll resemble Hideyoshi a bit. You two already have similar facial features."  
"Really?" She ran her hand over her cheek. If she thought about it more closely, he already had a certain resemblance to her.  
"You sound like you don't know him. A long lost child!"  
"Do you know where this family lives?"  
"Certainly. Outside the city, three, four kilometres across the open field. You can see the villa from afar. A beautiful house."  
"Can you take me there?"  
For a moment Rusalka pressed her lips together before she gave a soft sigh. "What you don't do for family like people ..."  
"You really seem to want to bring me together with them."  
"Hm? Not that. You and me, we're family too. After all, you're a Support Hunter and in my eyes, we're all a little family. Well, maybe not really small, but we belong together."  
It hadn't even taken a day before being counted as a family. Not sure if she should be happy or baffled by the woman's testimony, she was only satisfied with getting help.  
  
♦ ♣ ♦

"Maybe you'll say hello from me to your brother!"  
"You love to talk about him, don't you?"  
"Ricardo is the pure perfection of everything! Simply from everything!"  
"Can't judge that." Laughing, Shiba turned back to face the front. The city was already behind them and they both were now busy wandering across the field. Rusalka made Shiba's time a little more pleasant. If she was already part of the family, it couldn't be wrong to call this woman a friend. On top of that, she seemed nice, if a bit peculiar in her own way. Open and honest.  
Surely she was an Enhancer, maybe an Emitter.  
In character, they were probably the most appropriate Nen types she could belong to. The former seemed even more appropriate, as she carried no weapons.  
It wasn't necessary for an Emitter, but most of them carried one around. That's why an Enhancer seemed to be the ideal class for this woman.  
"Tell me, what do you know about my family?" It couldn't be wrong to ask a little. Everything she didn't know could probably be uncovered by her escort without any problem.  
"Everything, or just marginal information?"  
"The latter is enough."  
"Okay, so of course we have Ricardo and his perfect self. He is thirty-two, the eldest son of the family, a Justice Hunter and, to my knowledge, an Enhancer. Second is Hideyoshi, twenty-eight and also a Justice Hunter. His Nen class is unknown to me."  
"Emitter. I've met him before if I'm not mistaken."  
"Good to know! Last but not least, we have Spencer, at least as far as the kids are concerned. He's only twenty-four and a Fashion Hunter. Also an Emitter."  
"What the heck is a Fashion Hunter?" Amused Shiba put her head a bit to the side.  
"I don't know, but I think he's a little too fashionable."  
"Gosh ... and what about my parents?"  
"Nothing is known about your father. Only that he is different. His name is Hence I believe. Your mother, on the other hand, is also a Justice Hunter and Emitter. She is well known to the Hunter and also a member of the Guild of these godless killers. However, she has more or less retired. She rarely cares about her own orders and stuff like that. No idea, you rarely see her since she had her first child."

Abruptly, Shiba's brain literally sucked up the information Rusalka gave her to process one by one. If everything looked exactly the way she imagined, her mother needed a good explanation for the mess.  
In general, she was quite nervous when she thought of seeing this woman alone. The only thing she remembered was the long white hair and the soothing smell on her skin. Even if she had spent only a moment with her, she kept these two things firmly in her memory.  
"Hey, Shiba? Who of us plays Hunter when we get attacked?"  
"What?"  
"We are both Support Hunter, so we supplement normal Hunter. But who of us both takes the front in the fight? So ... just in case something should happen."  
Briefly, the addressee thought about it before she found an answer. "I take the front. Somehow I'm a little used to it. You actually too, right? I mean, if you've been looking for a Hunter for seven years, that may have been one or the other fight, right?"  
"Absolutely. But it could be that you want to do it much more than me." Affected the black-haired head back down. "We can play both normal Hunters and cover our backs at the same time. That would be a small challenge."  
"Don't we just hope that we are not attacked at all? Actually, I live here somehow, so there is-" The dull explosion to her left distracted her.  
Dirt flew up and made her put an arm in front of her eyes.  
"What was that?" Her friend seemed completely out of view. No sooner had Shiba pronounced her question, a second explosion struck exactly between them. Shiba only realized one thing: It was definitely an attack, not a trap.  
In a flash, she took a few steps to the side, letting her eyes wander to find her enemy. Right, left, up, where she actually recognized someone. Straight down, something colourful stung in her eyes. A dark red kimono with orange ribbons, if she could see it correctly. A girl, if she could understand.  
So the property had its own guards. At least one and also a very fast kind. As soon as Shiba had taken a firm footing, the girl was already standing in front of her. Not much taller than herself, but narrower.  
The short white hair waved gracefully behind her, while she herself was balling her fist to top it all. It was just possible for the Support to concentrate the Nen on the arms before the girl hit her and brought her off with this blow.  
She flew back several yards, landed on her back and pushed off as best she could to get her feet up on the last piece.  
Rusalka had seized the opportunity to draw a sword. Although Shiba was not quite sure where it came from, it didn't matter in this situation.  
With clean strokes, her friend swung the blade down on the girl, but the latter was faster. Without any problems, she avoided, kicked Rusalka across the field and returned to Shiba. She couldn't even reach for her guns before the defender stood in front of her again and was about to hit her in the face with the knee. For a second, the attacked closed her eyes but opened them again a moment later. The knee, which was supposed to hit her, was held down tense.

"Are you crazy just attacking her like that?"  
A man might just have spared her a broken nose, though he wasn't as foreign as she hoped. She didn't see him for the first time.  
Red, half-length hair on the front, shorter on the backside and a strong body characterized him. He had been the one. The man who named her as his property.  
"What are you talking about? They are foreign Hunter and I can't feel that they want to make an inquiry. So I will kill her."  
These few sentences were enough to make the man angry. With a slap in the face the girl lifted and crashed the next moment face first on the floor. A brutal method, as Shiba discovered.  
In the next second, the redhead turned to her. "Please forgive Spencer. He's an idiot and he doesn't remember you so well. Probably because he didn't keep an eye on you like Hide and I did."  
"Spencer?" The fact that he seemed to be talking about her youngest brother, cut her off. Impossible the 'girl' from before could be a boy. Even the man in front of her seemed to notice the indecision.  
"He's a bit feminine." The redhead dismissed it as if it were perfectly normal. It reminded a little of Kalluto.  
"Anyway, I've been waiting for you. Really, I was sure you would come. Mother will certainly be happy to see you."  
Joyfully he shook her hand. What remained was the question of what would happen if she accepted it.  
This family was anything but normal.


	63. Find out a little

No matter how she turned the situation, grabbing the man's hand in front of her seemed to be the only right thing at that moment. After all, she wanted to get to know her family, which probably had existed all along. The part that left her and two other children behind.  
"By the way, I'm Ricardo. Not that you forget it, dear."  
"Dear?"  
"Certainly. I already said that you belong to me. I am really relieved that you were able to break away from this Hisoka. I was wondering what you want with such a clown by your side."  
As soon as he helped her up, she tore herself away from him. "Don't call him that!"  
"Shiba, you don't need him anymore."  
"You disgust me!" Angry, she turned to Rusalka, who came back slowly to the small group. Her sword was gone and only her slightly tangled hair caught attention. However, when she noticed Ricardo, she immediately adjusted everything again and started a seductive walk. At the same time, Spencer which Shiba had previously dubbed as a girl, struggled up. Grunting, he knocked his things off and came towards them as well.

"Don't remember, huh? Then you have to be Shiba. Unfortunately, I only remember Hyde and Luzhi” Spencer was the first to arrive and almost apologized.  
"Hyde and Luzhi? That makes me happy ... but why did it even come to that?"  
"Mother never told us. We guys grew up here, burdened with rules of what we are supposed to ignore." He took a few steps closer to hug her. A touching feeling, because even though she didn't know him, she felt incredibly comfortable in his arms. In fact, it had the feel of a true family and Spencer made a good brother anyway, as it looked. Even if his nose bleed a bit at the moment and his kimono looked pretty dirty.  
"Hey, keep away your hands!" Actually, the eldest of them wanted to throw himself between the embrace, but Rusalka was faster and built herself up in front of him.  
"Hello, Ricardo! My name is Rusalka Moriarty and I am a good friend of Shiba."  
"Is that so?" Friendly but disinterested, he answered her.  
"We should go in. I guess Mother will want to see her and Father is not completely absent either."  
The eyes of the group were turned towards the house. Hide had also found the field and his sight brought Shiba into a quite happy mood. Letting go of Spencer she stormed towards him and took him in his arms. Immediately he replied, still looking quite surprised.  
"How come you are so happy to see one of us?"  
"I don't know. I really don't know.” The warmth that settled around her heart gave out a comforting sigh. Unlike Hisoka, it hit even, yet strong. She wasn't dizzy, nor did the blush overtake her. On top of that, she liked the feeling of his strong arms, which kept her tighter and tighter.  
"Hide! What have I already said to Spencer?" Ricardo seemed quite excited about the situation.  
"Calm down! She is not your wife you Siscon! " Her headman immediately countered, which made her flinch. She knew what Siscon meant and it disgusted her. It explained why Ricardo had gotten hold of her in the hotel.  
"Not yet!"  
"She will never be! How can you even love your own sister in that way?"  
"Look at her, then you know it! Love knows no boundaries!"  
"Probably safety tape neither!"  
The two got into a loud argument, which also led to Hideyoshi getting more casual. Before Shiba knew it, someone pulled her out of the embrace and dragged her behind. It was none other than Spencer, who only gave her a compassionate look. He looked cute, with his short, drop-like plucked eyebrows. The short pony, who didn't even reach them, just showed how perfect his face was. She had quite good-looking brothers.  
  
"Ignore these two. That always happens when it comes to you." Reassuring her with his very soft voice, he pulled her closer so they ran side by side.  
"Always? Is it often about me?"  
"Hm ... Let's just say, there were calmer days. They both became aware of you when you took the Hunter Exams. We Erskine are somehow known, after all, we have almost all passed the exam. Dad not, but you'll see why. Anyway. No sooner they did hear from you and started to shadow you. Everything went fine, but since you've been with a man, they are often arguing. Hide tries to protect you but is reluctant to. Ricardo, on the other hand ... you know, he's insanely in love with you. If he had his way, your friend would be as good as dead."  
She could follow his explanation well since the existing dispute between the two older brothers sounded almost over the whole field.  
"Really bad with those. Hisoka and I are just partners."  
The sweet smile on Spencer's lips made her restless.  
"Shiba, I'm pretty sure that's not all. I love fashion and the people who buy the stuff are humans you have to interpret. And just the way you say his name tells me, that he's more than just a partner."

♦ ♣ ♦

Nearby, the building where the Erskine lived was far larger than she had assumed. The roofs towered high into the sky, almost unreachable unless one shielded the eyes with the hand.  
The doors were more reminiscent of gates for a crowd entrance and everything else had been put together beautifully down to the smallest detail. Lush green meadow, two small fountains on each side as one walked through the middle. It impressed her beyond measure.  
Silently, she followed her youngest brother inside the house. A palace was a more fitting word for it. No matter where she looked, paintings surrounded her from every side. Sometimes a door. Everything was just surreal.  
The fact that she had a family had now reached her mind and had gained understanding. But not everything else. None of this.  
Not even when she followed Spencer through a door and soon found herself in a huge dining room. Flowing marble at her feet, paintings at her sides, a table too long before her.  
In front of his head was an old man, quietly leafing through the newspaper.  
"Father?" Uncertainly, the elder of the two stepped forward to see if the person at the end of the room was even approachable.  
"Huh?" The addressed person didn't even look up from the paper when he awoke for a moment.  
"Look here!"  
As ordered, the man glanced over the edge of the newspaper. Shiba got a quick look at his reading glasses, as well as the short-cut hair. Due to the fact that it was dark grey, she suspected black hair that Hyde had inherited.  
"Judging by your looks, you have to be Shiba. Welcome home. It seems to me you are the only one who has survived Ruairi's task. A shame."  
It was all he said before he looked back at his newspaper. A moment that hurt her.  
"Father, where is mother?" Spencer also seemed to want to get the situation over as quickly as possible.  
"Upstairs."  
Nodding, her brother took the information and turned on his heel. He gave her a fleeting, apologetic look.  
Following him back to the corridor, he finally broke the silence that had built up.  
"I'm sorry, Shiba. We probably are not what you wanted. I also doubt that you will find what you have imagined here. "  
"What exactly do you mean?"  
She got no answer from him until they had climbed some stairs and stopped again in front of a door.  
"Just remember that I want to be part of what you've imagined. Certainly also Ricardo and Hideyoshi. But don't expect too much from those who should actually be responsible. You will find your answers here."


	64. Long searched answer

Without warning, her big brother pushed her through the door and closed it. Panicked, she looked over her shoulder, unaware of what exactly she was supposed to do.  
A quick glance forward showed her a partially well-known picture.  
A woman stood with her back to her. The long, white hair reached down to her waist and reminded a bit of that of her youngest sister. Dressed in an old baroque dress, this woman stood there by the window, staring into the distance.  
That's why Shiba took the first step.  
“Hello.”  
“I see that you are the only one who has found home. At the same time, I thought that my children all have a certain amount of power.” The deep voice of this woman brought Shiba a little bit out of their mind.  
“I suppose you are my mother when we talk about your children.”  
“Absolutely.” A sweeping turn around, so Shiba could finally see the face of that one person she thought was dead. The shock was deep because her mother didn't look much older than she herself.  
"Surprised? I may be an Emitter, but we women do our best to look good. One reason why years ago I learned to learn a technique of the Transmuter. Just put a piece of cloth on your face and concentrate your Nen. Creating the face that I find most beautiful. My appearance, from thirty years ago.”  
There was no denying that her mother was beautiful. Her green eyes were more like a cat's than a human's. Although she also had slightly feline eyes, but not nearly as strong as her counterpart. The red lipstick seemed almost exaggerated, if seductive.  
“I think you have a lot of questions,” she continued shortly, waiting for a response from Shiba, which was still gathering her thoughts.  
“A lot of questions? Less than you think. My first would be, why?”  
“You are so easy to understand. What else should have been the first question? But as you wish, I answer you. As you know, you grew up with your two little sisters in Ikuinen Talvi - if you can say so. The principle behind it is quite simple. My goal was never just to start a family. I wanted a perfect family. Strong children who care for my reputation and don't bring shame on me. First, I got these three guys. Men are always considered to be the stronger gender, so I didn't hesitate to raise them and turn them into what I wanted. Then you came. A girl so small and fragile. Your tiny hands embraced my fingers, but you didn't have much strength. You were so much weaker than your brothers. It was the moment when I realized I couldn't raise you. To become as strong as the rest of your family, I had to expose you to a better teacher. And who teaches a person more strength than the world itself? I gave you up with the task of leaving you alone once you reach the age of six. As you must have noticed, it didn't end with you. I got two more girls. Hyde and Luzhi. They were like you, if not weaker. I had no choice but to send them to you. At first, I wanted to accommodate you separately, but a real challenge is probably to make decisions. Will I only get something to eat for myself or for my two sisters? So you all came to the same place. It looks like you were strong enough.”  
  
The thoughts blank, Shiba leaned her back against the door. Only with the strength left to think about the greed of a single woman, that had led her through all these terrible days. Not even the why, she could still explain herself. It made no sense in her eyes how one could act like this as a mother.  
“I wouldn't have been the only one if you had done something!” Desperately raised the younger in the room her voice.  
“A strong child is worth more than three useless ones.”  
“Neither of them would have had to die if you acted like a mother. Instead, you have taken the path of a monster. Disgusting and arrogant!”  
“Shiba, someday you will understand me. Should you one day bring children into the world, tell me if you raised them yourself. Weak beings have no chance of survival in a world like this.”  
“They were not weak! They were more talented than I am. You just had to look closer!” Her voice collapsed. Her mother's selfish behaviour was all that offended her in those minutes. It was also enough to give her a sense of pain that she didn't even have to endure when her sisters died. If this senseless decision had never been made, no one would have died. It wouldn't have been her who had failed.  
“If they were not weak, why are you here alone?" Almost disinterested, the question came over.  
“Luzhi was ill. She was terribly ill and we had nothing to save her.”  
“And Hyde?”  
Shiba paused for a moment before answering this question rather sheepishly. “I killed her. Strangled her, to be more specific.”  
“You see? If Luzhi had been strong, she would have overcome the disease. If Hyde had been strong, she would have killed you or escaped. So you're the only one who could absorb all the teachings of the world.”  
Unbelievingly blinking, she looked at her mother. Had this woman even listened to her?  
“Luzhi had a disease that you just can't easily defeat!”  
“In your eyes. In mine, it looks a bit different. You have received the answer to a question. Imagine the next, after all, I'm not here to discuss the past with you.”  
Swallowing her anger, Shiba looked away. All the other questions suddenly seemed so void, compared to the answer she had just received.  
“Why couldn't my brothers interfere?”  
“Quite easy. Your task was to find your own home. However, Ricardo has broken the rule to address you. He is an idiot and a fool at the same time. Hideyoshi did it like him by saving your life. They have never been very obedient, but what has happened can't be changed. I take it for granted.”  
“And how much do you know about me?”  
“Not very much. You're a Support Hunter and you've found a Hunter to offer your services to. A man, as I heard.”  
The youngster took a deep breath before casting a glance. She had come a long way with the belief that she was alone. Now she still had a family, which turned out to be completely degenerate to all abundance.  
On the one hand, she could just keep going as usual. On the other hand, she had three brothers. Not perfect, but still adorable. Also, when Ricardo seemed a bit lost in the wind. Even if her parents disappointed her beyond measure, she could be a family with the boys. Something she had always wanted somewhere deep inside. A life by the side of people who might really love her.  
“If that is so, then I will go now. My questions are answered here.”  
“Shiba, will you stay here and become a part of my family?” The coldness in the voice of this woman made Shiba shiver. In fact, it seemed as if she wanted to recruit only strong soldiers. It simply disgusted her.  
“I pass. You aren't my family and probably never will be.”  
“You are an Erskine. You can't escape this family. Not even in death.”  
“Then rest assured that if I go to hell one day, I'll come to take you with me. Someone like you should repent for his actions.”  
She opened the door, stepped back into the hall, and then turned around again. “If I have children one day, you can be sure I'll introduce them to you to show what you've missed.”  
The door slammed loudly into the lock, leaving the room, once filled with voices, in an icy silence.

♦ ♣ ♦

“Shiba? Shiba! Now finally stop!” Spencer trailed after her panting as she trudged straight from the house, heading for the field.  
“Be quiet! I don't want to hear anything anymore. This family is rotten. Honestly, who gave this woman permission to breathe?”  
“I don't know, but I'm sorry.”  
She stopped abruptly, causing her brother to bump into her.  
“Why do we stop?”  
“You idiot said I should stop. Now I stopped, what do you want?”  
Uncertainly he tapped his forehead with his index finger, which meant that he had no idea what he should do. “So ... we are a family. You ... and me ... and the other two ... and ... yes.” He hugged her without any warning, which reassured her a little. His reaction was quite cute.

After a small eternity, he let go of her again and pointed to the rather low wall, which fenced the actual ground of the house. “Let's sit down.”  
Following his offer, she sat down with him on the cold rock and let the legs dangle a bit. Life had its stressful sides.  
“Tell me, Spencer, doesn't that bother you all here? The things that happened? The behaviour of our parents?”  
He grimaced slightly at the corner of his mouth, thinking about how he should answer. “I was only three when you were born. You should be twenty-two now. I'll be twenty-five this year. I was three … years old back then...” The answer didn't seem easy to him, so he talked a little bit around it. “It didn't bother me when you left. I didn't understand it either. It wasn't until Mom gave away Luzhi that I asked why. The answer was simple: You need to get to know life from a different angle than your own.  
I couldn't comment on that because I didn't know what she meant by that. Ricci and Hide, on the other hand, were terribly bothered. Although they stayed here, they didn't forgive Mama. You must know, in general, there is no real family here for a long time. Our parents don't talk anymore. I think, after all these years, they have nothing more to say to each other. Maybe it's because of everything that happened. The only ones who stayed together were we, three brothers. But you can't call that a real family. The behaviour of these people in the house has frozen to ice like everything else around them.”  
“I'll never really understand some people,” whispering to herself, Shiba looked up at the sky. She felt her brother's eyes on her skin. He was so much warmer and nicer than anything lurking behind these walls.  
“Shiba!” The loud exclamation of a woman made her look forward again. With her two other brothers in tow, Rusalka ran happily toward them. As soon as she stopped in front of her and had gathered enough air for more talking, she seemed a little more serious. “How could you leave me alone with these two?”  
“I'm sorry, Spencer just took me along. I couldn't do anything. But hey, you got to know Ricardo better.”  
“You're right Shiba, so I want to ask you again for something!”  
The white-haired woman raised a brow questioningly. “That would be?”  
“Don't ask him if I can be his Support. He may look good, but he is by far the poorest Siscon I have ever seen. I'd rather find a better partner!” Waving her hands helplessly, she tried to free herself from her wishful thinking.  
“No problem, but really, do you have any idea what your Hunter should be like?”  
“Strong, serene and smart. I have nothing against it if he puts off a good spell now and then. I like logical men.”  
“And then your interest first fell on my idiotic brother? Does Justice Hunter look logical to you?”  
“I dismissed it as a fetish. Forgive my ignorance and save me in the name of this madman.”  
Laughing, Shiba felt her disappointment give way to a comforting feeling. All these people around her were special. Something completely different from anything she was allowed to do. Certainly, Gon and Killua were also a thing in themselves, but they were a team between one couldn't find a place. Kurapika and Leorio seemed to be chained together the same way, and all that was left was somehow not in the same category.  
Cheadle was probably a friend once known. Netero was more like a grandfather to all scattered Hunter.  
“Whatever comes to my mind when I'm here, you can certainly answer a few questions.” It was Rusalka, who dragged her out of her mind.  
Incidentally, the two men also reached the rest of the squad.  
“Idiot!”  
“Siscon!”  
The dispute didn't seem to be over.  
“Sure, what kind of questions is it?” Spencer leaned forward with interest.  
“Well at first, just to make sure, what was your gender again?”


End file.
